I WILL WAIT FOR YOU

If you are not too long, I will wait here for you all my life. – Oscar Wilde

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball or any of the Dragonball characters, concepts or settings. Yes, I am stupid enough to do all this work for no money!

Authors notes: This story just wouldn't go away, so here it is. Umm, I'm NOT a romance writer, but this does contain a lot of romance in it so don't get stressed when I go all mushy. I'm not made to write this sort of stuff. It's just how the story turned out. I'm not even a huge T/P fan. Sometimes you just have to let your fingers walk across the keyboard. That's how I got my name. I actually write under another name at FF.net, but I wanted to post this under a different name because quite frankly I am ashamed to claim it as my own. I have my reservations about posting this, so be honest in your reviews. I want to know if I should continue posting this. I'll continue writing it, no matter what because otherwise it just won't go away, but whether or not you wanna read it is up to you.

By the way, I don't plan this to take very long and I'm not really putting my entire heart and soul into it so don't expect too much. More of a conceptual story than anything. Oh, yes, I realise the title is a cliche and sounds really crappy, but I think its perfect for the story. May change it if something better comes and smacks me over the head, but again, this story isn't getting my full attention.

***

There wasn't a time they could remember that they had spent enough time together. Whenever they found themselves alone someone would interrupt them. Pan believed that fate was conspiring against them. Trunks knew that it wasn't fate to blame. Gohan knew something was going on, but never acknowledged it. Trunks knew he was just waiting for proof. As for Bulma, she definately knew, which meant Vegeta would know, but again they had bit their tongues. However, just because they never said anything it didn't mean that they didn't have anything against it. At every chance they would divide the two, trying to crush the romance out of the situation. Little did they know they were making the fire burn stronger. That which is forbidden becomes far more enticing.

"Trunks." Pan looked up at Trunks. He was sitting on his bed, right next to her.

"Babe." Trunks looked down and smiled. Normally they would just sit in silence, enjoying the company. He loved it when she talked though, she had such wonderful and original ideas. Of course, these opinions came from behind rose tinted glasses.

Pan took in a deep breath, she suddenly looked tired and Trunks saw a touch of desperation in her eyes. "This can't go on forever and you know it. This isn't any fun, this is just too hard."

Trunks didn't like the way this was sounding. "Pan, you can't give up on me now. My parents are trying to keep you away, but they can't be around us twenty four seven."

"It's not just them Trunks. It seems fate is against us. 14 years is a big difference."

Trunks searched for the right words to say, but couldn't think of anything. His mouth hung open for a second. Pan waited patiently for a response he obviously was trying to get out. Eventually he managed to stumble over several words. "Don't tell me they've brainwashed you into believing that."

"NO!" Pan was shocked at what Trunks was understanding from the conversation. She was trying to tell him something she'd been putting off for so long and now all he could think about was his self assurance.

Trunks was confused by the sudden change of tone. "What are you saying then? Sorry I don't-"

"Trunks, I'm saying we are going to do something about this."

"What? What can we do?" Trunks was becoming highly agitated. He couldn't understand what Pan was saying, but it sounded suspiciously like he was about to be dumped. If that happened he would kill his parents, this was all their fault.

Frustrated by his lack of will to understand Pan started to snap, "Trunks, shut up and listen for a second."

"I'm listening." Trunks abruptly shut his mouth and looked at Pan, waiting for her to deal the final blow.

Pan tried to work through her ideas as logically as possible. "OK, there is only one way the world is going to let us be together, right?"

Trunks thought for a second. "Well, if we were the same age I guess. But we can't exactly change that."

"Yes we can."

Lost again Trunks asked, "How? Explain, you are not making any sense."

"It's simple. What's the one way we have of manipulating time? No don't answer, you'll just get confused and off the track again. We need to gain some time." Pan waited for any signs of understanding on Trunks's face. Seeing none she continued, "Ergo, we use the Room of Spirit and Time."

Trunks's head was hung in concentration, but shot up at the last few words. "What? That doesn't make any sense. You'd have to stay there for years, alone."

"Trunks, can you come help me in here?" Bulma called out.

"Give me a minute Mum." Trunks replied hastily, almost snapping. He tried to keep the stress out of his voice though to avoid worrying his mother.

"Trunks, I've made up my mind. I'm going to see Dende tomorrow."

For once Trunks wasn't lost for words. Ideas and hopes and fears had suddenly swelled up in his head and he felt he would burst if he didn't get them out soon. "He won't let you use it. Besides, you'll go mad all by yourself for a year."

"Several years." Pan corrected.

"Whatever. You can't waste so many years of your life like that. What's Gohan gonna say when you come back and you're a woman."

"Maybe he'll say happy Birthday."

"Pan, I'm serious." Trunks was worried by her reckless attitude. Didn't she realise what she was letting herself in for?

"So am I."

Pan looked up at Trunks and he saw the determination. That's for me he thought. Suddenly conscience kicked in. "Pan, I can't let you do this. You mean too much to me. If you persist with this then I'm...I'm gonna tell Gohan."

"You wouldn't."

"I would." The two were caught in a staring conversation for a second. Both angry with each other, yet both more in love than was good for them.

Pan suddenly started to work at Trunks's weak spot. "Trunks. Just think, once this part is over with we can be together."

Trunks couldn't deny that the idea of being accepted as Pan's mate was an appealing one, but he couldn't put this onto her. "You don't know that. You'll still be Gohan's little girl and I don't think he cares how old you are, it's how old you seem."

Pan didn't like the challenges to her logic and settled with, "I'm going."

"What kind of argument is that?"

Resigning to her fate Pan sighed. "I don't need this. I'll see you in two weeks Trunks." With that she levitated into the air before disappearing out the open window she had entered only moments before.

"Pan wait." Trunks called after her.

Pan was already gone. Trunks ran a hand through his hair, making a fist. He was now faced with the hardest decision he'd have to make and it would have to be made alone. There was something enticing about the idea, he had to admit it had its advantages, but deep down he knew that Dende wouldn't even let her go in The Room of Spirit and Time. Realising that he settled down on his bed to sleep.

"Trunks." Bulma called out again.

The Next Day...

Trunks woke up to the sound of static. He rolled over and slapped the button on his alarm clock, telling himself that he'd have to find a radio station on that clock one day. Grudgingly he dragged himself from bed and pulled on some clothes and stumbled down the hallway. He glanced at his watch, noting that he was up relatively early. His brain was still fuzzy from sleep though and he felt there was something he had to remember, like a dream that fondled the tip of his mind but refused to be remembered. He collapsed into a chair at the kitchen table and his mother come over and put some breakfast before him. "Morning Trunks."

"Morning Mum."

"You're up reasonably early."

"Yeah."

Trunks sat eating for a moment. The full stomach must have kicked his brain into gear because suddenly last nights events all came flooding back to him. "Pa-". He stopped himself quickly, but Bulma still noticed the outburst.

"What's wrong Trunks?"

"Umm, Mum, I've got stuff to do. It's really important OK. Can you just let me have today off? Thanks. I've gotta go." With that he ran from the table, knocking his chair over as he did so. Just then Vegeta walked into the room.

"What was all that about he asked?"

"I don't know." Bulma replied, still looking in the direction Trunks had disappeared in.

*

When Trunks landed he could see Pan and Dende talking. He breathed a sigh of relief. "I'm not too late." he whispered to himself. He rushed over to talk to the pair. "Pan!"

"Trunks! What are you doing here? I told you that I wasn't going to change my mind."

"And neither am I for that matter." Dende butted in. "So you were in on this Trunks?"

"Sorta." Trunks confessed.

"You realise that I can't let you use the Room of Spirit and Time for a little love affair. It's against the rules, not to mention plain wrong. How could you condone your own girlfriend throwing all those years of her life away for you?" Dende demanded.

Trunks looked in Pan's direction as he replied. "I don't condone it. If I could stop it I would, but I know that anyone who tries to stop Son Pan getting her way is asking for trouble. That is why I offer her my support in her decision, regardless of what I think." Pan looked at Trunks, surprised. She had expected the others to be there. Last night she was sure that Trunks would have announced her plan and she had hated herself for sharing her secret with Trunks. Now she knew why she took the risk and why it wasn't a risk at all. Trunks was worth it because he would never tell anyone, he trusted her too much.

Dende still didn't approve and continued trying to discourage Pan. "You'll be bored out of your mind you know. The only way I could let you in is if it was necessary for the Earth's survival."

Both Trunks and Pan broke their eye contact and looked at Dende as if he had just grown an extra eye. "I'm going to train while I'm there so that I can effectively protect the earth when Goku and Vegeta are gone. If we don't start training young warriors now we will be left with and old and obsolite defence."

"No way. You can just train in normal time, just like everyone else."

"Dad won't let me. I'll miss too much school. This is the only way Dende." Pan started to advance and stood menacingly before Dende. Trunks moved up behind her, his intentions clear. Both knew that Dende would give in.

Dende looked at his feet then back at the two warriors. "Well I suppose I have no choice then. This way."

Trunks and Pan followed in silence. They came to a halt just before the doors of the Room of Sprit and Time. Dende stepped away, allowing them a little privacy.

"Trunks, you know I have to do this right? It's the only way the world will accept us as a couple."

"I know Pan. I just wish I could come with you. This is going to be easy for me, you're the one who is going to do the hard work."

"Trunks, it'll be easy because I know I'm doing it for you. Wait for me Trunks."

"Always. Wait for me Pan."

"You know it. I'll see you tomorrow."

"I'll see you in a year." With that Trunks watched Pan step away from him and into a world beyond. A couple of tears rolled down his cheeks, but he wasn't crying for himself. He was crying for what Pan was doing to herself. The scary thing was that he would have done the same thing for her in an instant. He turned around and nodded a thanks towards Dende, he had after all gone far beyond the call of duty. Then Trunks leapt off the platform and felt himself hurtling toward earth. He reached terminal velocity and let himself fall for several seconds more before he saw the earth approaching at a dangerously close rate. At the last second he regained control of his flight path and flew off to a secluded spot in the woods.

*

Pan couldn't help but be awe struck by the surroundings. She was in a void where it seemed nothing but her existed. Trying not to be intimidated by the long periods of solitude that lay ahead she started a warm up. She wondered what Trunks would tell her father, she probably should have helped him come up with a cover story, but Trunks would think of something. He was a smart boy. Anyway, Dad should be proud of me, she thought to herself. I'm finally devoting myself to training. Her motives, however, would not be approved of. In a way she almost felt grateful that she was on this end of the bargain. She'd hate to be Trunks when Gohan came looking for her.

***

Ok, I don't know if people actually age in the Room of Spirit and Time, but if they don't then just pretend they do. Umm, other than that I should tell you that this story is going to develop into a action/adventure type story in later chapters so don't expect this to be all mush.

Oh yeah, please review. I'd like to know if I'm any good at this romance stuff.