I promised to be good last time. I wasn't—sorry! But after my last chapter I went to the beach, New Orleans…and then college started. Phew. Then I lost what I had of this chapter (about half), and had to restart from the beginning. I now have found time to compose this chapter to give to all my patient readers—though I did get some threats via email. Though I won't complain about those too badly as they whipped me into guilty feelings. I won't feel guilty now as I uploaded this, and last night uploaded a DBZ/GT one-shot entitled "For The Want of A Child" and it's a 27 page one-shot about, well, check it out of you care. I also uploaded an Inuyasha poem entitled Regret. So now I'm feeling quite productive. Thanks again for waiting—and please review!
"Will we ever see a break in this weather?" Pan snorted, looking out the window to where the dusky early evening was nothing but stormy gray clouds and tree branches slapping in the gusts of harsh wind, the windows being pelted with loud, clattering rain. "In the southern region below the capitol there have been flood warnings in effect for the past week, and now we are having those same warnings for the eastern side as well.
"Still no dangerous warnings for the capitol itself, but there is still an amazing amount of rain flushing through the streets. Many of the major companies are putting work on hold as well, and we will go back to Jane Simmons with that report." Pan blew a strand of hair from her face as she hacked away at the onions, her eyes watering uncomfortably while the news continued on in the background.
"Thank you, Dick.
"Many major companies are putting and have been keeping workers on hold, including Design-two, Markus brothers, Degraid, Vixen, and of course Capsule Corporations.
"Dillon Markus of Markus brothers announced that they wanted their employees to keep indoors this morning, and we were there for that report." Pan turned around to see an overweight man rolling on and on about how he was concerned for their employees safety with the severe weather, and announced that the company would be on "quiet" mode for several days or so.
"Both Vixen Entertainment and Capsule Corporations announced that they would be relieving their employees at the beginning of this week, when weather first started getting bad, and we were there as well." Now Trunks' face was being flashed across the screen, and she paused to re-listen to what he had had to say.
"There is no need to be putting our employees on the line in such weather. Better yet that we have them on relieve and when the weather clears we'll be up and running without skipping a beat." Pan smirked. It was odd to realize she was one of those thousands of employees working for Capsule Corporations.
"And now we'll turn our camera's to Jim Dale for our sports report. Jim?" Pan took a handful of onions and dumped them into a frying pan with the rest of the vegetables. The tossed some soy sauce and miso seasoning over the top of it, before setting a lid on the pan to let it simmer.
Her sickness had gone down to mere coughing here and there, however this storm had kept her maddeningly indoors. Her cat even seemed glum, vying for attention during the most inopportune moments. Like, for instance, how she had set at the computer desk while Pan emailed, her front paws on Pan's forearm, her little head bobbing up and down to gain attention.
It might have been cute the first few moments, but when the cat wouldn't scram Pan began having a sour attitude.
She hoped the cat was napping somewhere when she sat at the computer and logged into her instant messenger. A twitchy kitty was the worst thing to have when you're in the middle of an IM conversation.
She glimpsed her lying on the bed and her mouth twitched in a smirk just as the weird, bubbly sort of ding! went off, notifying her that someone wished to speak to her.
It was Bura.
Mdlsgrl: Greetings, sick one!
Pan: Greetings, engaged one!
Pan: By the way, I'm not sick anymore.
Mdlsgrl: Have you turned bitter against people getting engaged? lol.
Mdlsgrl: Glad you're feeling better.
Pan: I'm not bitter.
Pan: Thanks. How have you been?
Mdlsgrl: Exhausted. Glad that the bad weather's giving me a break!
Pan: lol.
Pan: Wedding plans?
Pan: What's the deal with your sn?
Mdlsgrl: What else?
Mdlsgrl: See, it stands for model's girl. Make sense?
Pan: lol.
Mdlsgrl: I should ask what's the deal with yours?
Pan: What do you mean?
Mdlsgrl: lol.
Pan: What?
Mdlsgrl: Just "Pan"?
Mdlsgrl: Sounds like you.
Pan: …
Mdlsgrl: Just some fun. Say, you had lots of drama picking locations and caterers, didn't you?
Pan: What do you think?
Mdlsgrl: They're driving me up walls, Pan. Help me!
Pan: How can I help you?
Mdlsgrl: Come with me next time – I'll owe you a four-course meal at a Chinese restaurant, I swear, if you'll help me out this once.
Mdlsgrl: Please?
Pan: sigh
Mdlsgrl: ?
Pan: Oh, fine, all right.
Mdlsgrl: Great! Thanks!
Mdlsgrl: You know, Pan – no hard feelings.
Pan: …
Mdlsgrl: You know what I'm talking about…we're all still friends, right? Can things go back to normal?
Pan: How can they be normal again?
Mdlsgrl: Nothing's happened. As far as everyone's concerned, this past year has just been a blank.
Pan: But…
Mdlsgrl: I'm serious!
Mdlsgrl: Nothing's changed. Promise that's how you'll act?
Pan: Bura…
Mdlsgrl: I have to go. I'll call you when we're heading out again for wedding stuff.
Mdlsgrl signed off at 5:36pm
Pan leant on her elbows and sighed, her loose bangs sliding to fall around her face. Her cat jumped off the bed and came into the room, stretching her front legs in front of her and yawning.
The next day the rampage of rain and thunder did not lessen, and Pan got a call from Bura.
"We're heading out to do some things in about an hour. You game?" Pan stifled a groan and wondered how she had ever agreed to go.
"Yeah, sure." She managed to choke out.
Bura was prompt. Pan had just tugged a shirt over her head when the doorbell rang. The rain was still banging against the windows.
"I'm coming!" She hollered, grabbing some socks from her drawer and her favorite pair of sneakers. Bura kept ringing, and she rolled her eyes as she jogged down the hall to the door.
She flipped the latch and received Bura into her apartment. She had a long raincoat that came halfway down her calves, and her dripping hair was twisted behind her head.
"Ready?" She asked brightly, and looked around her apartment for her wallet.
"You sure you want to go in this weather?" She asked warily, finally spotting her wallet and sliding it into her jacket pocket. Bura chuckled.
"Trying to get out of it?" She raised a brow, her slender hands resting on her slender hips.
"You know me too well." Pan grinned, her onyx eyes sparkling.
"Let's go!" Bura smacked her friend on the butt and Pan hopped to it.
"I actually disagree," All eyes turned to Pan. She had decided she would be bold this afternoon for Bura's sake, and so every comment that came to her head in her friend's favor she threw out. "I mean," She continued. "They're both high profile people, and I'm guessing, however classy, it'll still be a hip affair." She scrambled for words, saw everyone consider, and spotted Bura wink and mouth 'thank you' her way. She nodded in return.
"Well," Bulma began, "I think that's good enough for today, ladies?" She stretched her back just barely. "I'm exhausted."
"What are you girls doing?" Videl turned to her daughter and Bura.
"Heading out for a bit—that's cool, right?" She turned to a very surprised Pan who five minutes later had been talked into it.
"You need to get out!" Bura had complained, grasping her arm and leading her towards the lobby of the hotel she was considering having her wedding at. "Donny's going to pick me up, and I think you should come. You don't know him near as much as you need to!" She whined, and finally Pan didn't feel like arguing any more and wasting her breath.
Twenty minutes later Donny's car pulled up, and though she was shocked at something, it wasn't his leather pants. Trunks got out of the car as well. She combed a hand through her hair without thought and began wondering what he was doing there.
"Hey!" Bura jogged up to them cheerfully, the gusty wind not being broken by the hotel's valance and blowing her hair wildly about her as she jumped into Donny's arms.
"Pan!" Donny greeted her with a smile as Bura turned and gave her brother a kiss on the cheek. "So good to see you," He shook her hand warmly, and she and Trunks exchanged smiles. "Well? Where are we off to?"
"Something to eat," Bura groaned, "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse." They all filed into his little sports car and they sped down the street.
An hour later they all sat around a table at 'Albert's', a tidy little classy diner downtown. Everything was black and white checked with red accents, and they served sodas and malts in abundance alone or with classic burgers or chicken tenders.
They chatted and gabbed, catching up with each other. Trunks was more silent than usual, seemingly thoughtful, his mind obviously elsewhere, and Pan avoided talking about herself as much as possible.
"So have you set a date?" She inquired, dipping a french fry in her chocolate milkshake.
"We were thinking about this next spring, actually." Bura and Donny were holding hands, and she gave it a little squeeze and flashed him a quick smile.
"Well, that's great!" Pan attempted cheerfulness though she desperately longed to be home. "Outdoor reception?" She then inquired. Bura seemed disheartened suddenly.
"That's what I want. But it seems the forces of nature—or motherly opinions—wants an indoor evening reception." She snorted. "Classier for the press, perhaps." Pan could feel her pain.
"Yeah, that's what I wanted—but the same deal." She hadn't realized what she had said until it was too late. Trunks was, seemingly for the first time of the evening, listening.
"I know!" Bura burst out, finding a kindred struggle.
"I guess with Trunks being so high profile it was best just to keep things in the evening and at a banquet hall or something." Where had that come from? She mentally kicked herself. But it was just too easy to fall into relaxed conversation with Bura about this. She had felt so alone before.
"I told Bura to insist to have it wherever she wanted," Donny joined the conversation. "I just want her to be happy with it. It's only one night and I want it to be special for her." Pan felt a twinge of hurt. Trunks had tried to help her the same way. He had been more distraught than she, trying to make sure she was all right, that she was getting what she wanted.
She took a sip of her milkshake, her eyes tingling strangely just a touch.
The subject was changed and Pan was relieved. She fell easily into conversation again as they finished their meals and the waitress came for the bills.
She tentatively handed two to the gentleman present, and they both took it. Pan reached to Trunks to protest, but he held up a hand and with the other gave the waitress the slip of paper and a credit card.
She looked to her lap as the waitress dashed off.
"I'm going to run to the restroom for a moment. Want to come, Pan?" Bura stood, slinging her purse over her shoulder and lying her jacket over one arm.
"Oh, I'm fine. Thanks, though." She nodded energetically before disappearing around the corner and the three of them reluctantly stood and gathered coats and bags.
"Sir?" The waitress had come and given Trunks his receipt, but she hesitantly asked for Donny to come to the register. Apparently his card wasn't working correctly.
"Wait for me at the door?" He jerked his head towards the entrance and Trunks nodded silently.
Trunks and Pan fell into step together, and while they waited her offered her his help to put on her jacket.
"You didn't need to pay for me," She mentioned, and he shrugged it off.
"I don't mind."
"Really, I—"
"Pan, it was fine." She fell silent. "Why is it such a big deal?" She opened her mouth to speak but didn't end up saying anything. "You never would have cared before—actually, you would have accepted and gladly kept the extra cash you now had."
"I was just—"
"Things aren't the same as before everything—all this happened," He glanced behind him and saw Bura and Donny approaching. "but can't we just pretend they are?"
Pan had nothing to say to that. Donny and Bura fell into their company and there wasn't time for her to respond even if she had had anything to say.
They loaded into the car, her feeling stupid and silly, Trunks tense, Donny and Bura oblivious to their conversation.
They dropped Pan off first—her apartment was closest, in the downtown district—and Bura walked her to her door.
"See?" She began cheerfully. "Things can be the same! We can act like nothing ever happened and hang out just like old times!" Pan offered a weak smile and without addressing the subject said her goodbye.
Things couldn't be the same. They couldn't just pretend.