Night Shadows- Chapter 13

by Tanyaneko

Disclaimer: Ah… the horrid reality. DBZ/GT is not mine… WAAAAAAAAAAH!

A/N: Here I am again, with another chapter. Thank you to everyone who likes and reviews this story: Baby, alannapurple, Lauren Williams, EDPTgirl, Loaf of Pan, Yumi, ?!?!?, Saiyan Serpent, ills, jackie, Sheylan, AngelQT520, Starlight, Flea Son, :), Z, Dark*Princess*Pan, mari/mbjade, and mrchezzysnickers.

And thank you to Kaiyo-henshin for helping me figure out how to write this chapter!

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"I couldn't do it."

He looked up at her from where he was sitting in a chair, where he'd been waiting for her to come back for the past hour, with his head in his hands, wanting to cry, but being strong because she needed him to be.

She was standing there, her head down. Her blond locks were dripping wet- he realized he'd been so lost in his sorrow, pushing away his feeling of abandonment, he hadn't given any attention to the weather. "It's raining. Why did you walk?"

"I… I needed to think." She sighed once, knowing what she must have put him through, even if it was just an act she'd gone to play… how it must have felt for him… if she'd been in his place, she had no idea what she'd have done. And she still hadn't gone through with it, and that only meant he'd have to be put through it all again. "You must be so disappointed in me."

He ran a hand through his dark hair, just looking at her. "Never… never. I'll never be disappointed in you. I love you."

That was it. He was so sweet, so amazing, so caring, so loving… she couldn't do that to him, even if she was just pretending to. That was why she'd frozen, why she'd gotten all stiff and had turned around and run in the opposite direction, run through the rain with her tears in her eyes blurring so badly she hadn't seen where she was going. That was why she was breaking down now, falling to her knees and sobbing, her head in her hands. "I'm so sorry, Ubuu… I-I just couldn't… I didn't call or anything… so he didn't know I was going to be there… I just… my hand… and the doorknob… I k-kept shaking… I couldn't… I couldn't… I'm sorry, but I couldn't!"

She let her head fall to his shoulder- some time during her incoherent anguished babble, he'd come to kneel down next to her, putting his arms around her, letting her sob, and soothing her. "It's okay. It's okay. I believe in you. Don't you ever forget that. I know you can do it, and when you've done it, everything's going to be okay… everything's going to be fine, and we can be together, and everyone will be happy… you'll see… I'll be waiting right here for you, and you'll come back to me, and you'll be smiling. You'll be smiling, and so happy, because everything will be fine again."

Dark eyes stared into darker (A/N: Yes, people, Marron's eyes are black. She has Krillin's eyes. Watch DBZ or GT. You'll see it…) and she nodded, her eyes no longer tearing, but determined. "I'll come back, and you'll be here waiting for me. I'll be smiling, and happy, because everything will be fine again." She repeated what he'd told her, his words helping her believe they were true. She stood up and walked to the door, pausing once to turn around and blow him a kiss. Then she walked to her car with quick, determined steps, and drove to Capsule Corp.

~*~

This time, she didn't freeze. She thought of Ubuu, thought of how happy they'd be together when this was over, and pushed the door open, smiling at Bulma when she walked an, and then going up to Trunks's room, and pushed that door open too.

"Trunks, we need to talk."

He looked at her with confused blue eyes. "You're not breaking up with me, are you?"

She shook her head. I wish I were. Dende, this had better work. Seriously, if this doesn't snap him out of it and make him realize we're not supposed to be together, I don't know what I'll do.

"Well, if that's not it, what is it? You look serious."

"I am serious, Trunks." She walked over to him, sat on his bed next to him and smiled- a fake but still believable smile- and kissed him on the cheek. "Trunks, we've been together for a while, right?"

"Yes…"

"And you care about me, right?"

"Yes…"

"Trunks, I think we should get married." She smiled at him again, this time a genuine smile. I did it. It's over. Thank Dende, it's all over. Now he'll realize. He'll realize he can't do this, he'll realize he can't be with me. I won't have to do any of this any more. As he sat there, silently, she wondered what he was thinking.

~*~

"Trunks, I think we should get married." That wasn't what he expected, that much was certain. He looked at her, shocked, wondering what brought this about, when he saw her bright, happy smile. It wasn't anything like Pan's… didn't have the same effect on him at all… but she was happy. She obviously wanted this, and he had no idea what to say to her.

He couldn't marry her… he didn't love her. He'd known that for a while, he knew he never would, but… I don't love her. I'll never love her…this is it. If he married Marron, everything would be over. He'd never have to worry about loving Pan, he'd be bound to someone else. He'd never have to worry about Pan hurting him, there would no longer be a chance of anything like that happening. He wouldn't be afraid any more. This would be his escape. There would be no more pain.

"Marron… you're right. We should. You think about a ring, and I'll go get it, and I can propose to you properly."

She looked at him sharply, and he thought he saw shock on her face, but that was gone in a moment, replaced by her smile again. A different smile this time, but he didn't understand what was changed. No matter. He'd have the rest of his life to figure it out. It didn't feel right, but he could make it work, the same way he'd been making their relationship work, and he'd never have to worry about Pan again… Pan could go and marry Ubuu for all he cared… but he did care, and it hurt to think it… I don't have to worry about that anymore. I'm getting married. I'll get used to it… I'll get used to it, and it won't hurt anymore.

"Okay, Trunks… I'll go… I-I'll go now and think about that ring… I'll tell you when I-I've picked it out…" Something was off about her voice- he couldn't tell what, and there was something off in the way she walked out the door, but he just couldn't figure it out.

~*~

Marron ran down the hall, and didn't notice Bra standing outside her brother's door. She continued to run down the stairs and out into the rain, and that was when she started to cry.

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Bra's eyes were wide with what she'd just heard and her mouth hung open as she slid down the wall to fall to the floor. No… he couldn't have… Trunks, you idiot… what about Pan? Then she realized her friend deserved to know, and she'd have to be the one to tell her. Tears came to her eyes for the pain it would cause her friend, and she began to cry- for Pan, for Trunks, for the horrible anguished look on Marron's face, for them all. How am I supposed to tell Pan?

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"Bra!" Pan greeted happily, opening the door for her friend. "What are you doing here? I think I've almost got him, Bra… come to my closet and see… you're gonna love this, I know you will… I mean, I can hardly believe I'm going to wear it, but hey, if I-"

"No, Pan." Bra cut her off, and there was something sad in her tone, something scared, something that made Pan stop and stare at the aqua-haired woman, wondering what was going on.

"What do you mean, no? Usually, you're more than excited when I decide to actually wear a dress. I don't understand. What's wrong?"

Bra looked down and bit her lip. She ran a hand through her hair, twisting it and untwisting it, and then twisting it again, before letting it fall. "Pan… I don't know how to say this, but… oh, this is hard… I'm really sorry but…"

"Bra? What is it? It can't be that bad." She looked at her friend, hoping for a nod of affirmation, or a smile, or anything, anything that could give her a hint of how big of a problem it was.

"Trunks is getting married."

A strangled sound came from Pan's throat as she looked at Bra. "It's a joke, right? You're kidding, right?" She choked out a mirthless laugh, waiting for Bra to tell her she was just kidding.

She didn't.

"Oh, Dende…" Pan sat down in the nearest chair and looked away from Bra, trying her hardest to hide her tears. "It's over, then," she whispered. "That's it. He really doesn't love me."

"Pan, if there's anything I can do… I'm sure my idiot brother just-"

"Bra? Could you please leave? I… I need to be alone."

With one last sorrowful glance at her friend, who was shaking in her effort to contain her sobs, Bra walked out the door. Poor Pan…

~*~

Bra walked outside, and looked up at Pan's window. The light was on, and she saw the dark-haired woman throw herself on her bed. Her Saiyan hearing picked up Pan's anguished sobs. She shook her head, wishing desperately that there were something she could do to comfort her friend. But Pan would only cry alone.

Bra couldn't stand the feeling of helplessness, of standing by and watching her friend be hurt. Maybe I can get Daddy to beat Trunks into thinking sense again. She shook her head, dismissing that option. Vegeta was better at beating people senseless.

She moaned at how hopeless it was. Now she'd have to watch as her brother and best friend lived miserable lives. She needed to get away from this. She needed someone to comfort her, someone to listen to her, someone to hold her… Goten…

~*~

"Bra! What are you doing here?" Goten asked, holding open the door for her.

"You know, you're the second Son who's asked me that today," she said, making an attempt at a joke.

He looked at her oddly, then noticed how upset she looked. "Bra? What's wrong?"

She looked at him with big, tear-filled blue eyes, filled with such pain that he wanted so badly to make disappear. He closed the door behind her and in two steps was at her side with his arms around her.

"Bra? What is it? You can tell me…"

"It's horrible, Goten… just horrible… he's such a jerk…"

He stiffened immediately. If someone hurt his Bra… he started growling low in his throat, and Bra looked at him, saw the love in his eyes, in his protective gaze, felt it in his embrace.

"It's not like that, Goten. It's Trunks… Pan's hurting so badly… I just told her, and I don't know what to do…"

"What happened?" He was relieved and then worried… nobody was hurting Bra, but Pan was his niece, and he loved her too.

"Trunks… he's… he's marrying Marron."

Shock crossed his features, and he stared at her for a moment before his cell phone rang. "I'll let the voice mail get it. You're more important to me than a phone call."

"But Goten… isn't that Trunks's tone? Answer it… maybe you can talk to him…" Her eyes were pleading, flickering with tiny bits of hope. Maybe Goten could do something… maybe he could fix it… maybe…

He nodded, and flipped out his phone, pressing 'talk' and bringing it to his ear. "Hello? Goten speaking. Oh, hey, Trunks…"

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So, people, what did you think? Tell me! I want to know!

Next chapter… what is Goten going to say to Trunks? Will it change anything? Pan is about to make a big decision… what is she going to do?

See ya back next time!

~Tany