Chapter Five

Goten winced as his mother caught him on the way in.

"Goten ," Chichi had her arms crossed disapprovingly, "Where have you been?"

"I was just visiting Trunks," Goten hung his head, "I'm sorry. I'll throw out the trash right now."

Chichi cut him off, "You were at Capsule Corp.?"

Goten nodded, resigned to the fact that he was going to be lectured again about getting a job.

"Goten, I don't understand you," Chichi looked sorrowfully at her son, "I just want you to be happy and you have everything right in front of you but you refuse to take it."

Goten became alarmed as tears appeared in her eyes.

"Mom-"

"You could have a good job if you would ask Trunks to hook you up, you could be married but you broke up with Paris, and you refuse to be responsible!"

Tears run down her cheeks unchecked.

"Mom-" Goten laid a tentative hand on her shoulder.

"Even Pan has married and settled down her wild ways but you insist on . . ."

Guilt ate at Goten's conscious.

"Ok Mom, I'll call Trunks," Goten hugged his weeping mother, "Just . . . stop crying."

Chichi's smile remained hidden in the folds of her son's shirt.

**

Bra picked up her bag and set it comfortably on her shoulder. Finally, this hellish day was over and she could go home. She stopped at the door suddenly as something odd occurred to her.

Zarah was nowhere to be seen.

He was usually down in her lab by this time to say bye or complain about Pan. Where was he?

Bra felt out with her ki and was surprised to find her cousin with her brother in his office and Maron was there as well. What was going on?

**

Pan glanced at her watch and swore.

"Where is he?"

This was unlike him, he was never late and if he was he would have called her already to let her know he was going to be late.

"Hey Pan, do you need a lift?"

She turned to find Ryan staring at her hopefully.

"No thanks, I can walk," she turned away, damning her husband for not being there and putting her in this situation.

"Wait Pan," Ryan's smile was dazzling but had no effect on Pan, "I think it's time we talked seriously."

"Ryan, I'm sorry but I'm married and I can't talk right now-"

"You're married?" The shock hit her right after the hurt in his voice did.

Pan ground her teeth in frustration, it wasn't like she got married to avoid him!

"Ryan, I'm sorry I don't have time for this and I have to get home."

"To him?" He pouted.

She barely restrained herself from rolling her eyes.

"That's it," Pan phased from sight not giving a damn about his reaction or how he would take it.

"You had better have a good explanation for this Zarah," she intoned darkly.

**

Zarah's sixth sense went off as he felt his mate's energy flare and start to move. He was puzzled, why was she coming this way it was only . . .

"Shit!" A glance at their clock confirmed they had been plotting for over three hours.

"What's wrong?" Trunks and Maron watched Zarah grab his jacket and yank it on.

"I forgot about Pan," Zarah opened the door, "Bra. . . "

Bra lowered her hand she was about to use to knock.

"What happened? You're usually gone by now?" She frowned as she heard her brother curse and papers being shuffled, "Are you arguing with Trunks again?"

Zarah purposely darkened his expression, "I was trying to pitch your soda the doesn't go flat but Trunks thinks Capsule Corp. is above such things."

"Don't listen to him Bra!" Trunks shoved his cousin aside, "I merely stated that we did not have a branch available for the project at this time and-"

"Then create one! You're the boss!"

"I have other pressing matters! And-"

"What could possibly-"

Bra sighed, as they lost all semblance of professional business men and started grappling with each other.

"Are they always like this?"

Bra smiled at Maron's apprehensive tone.

"They don't like to give in."

Trunks tackled Zarah sending them both into his desk, paper went everywhere.

Maron paled and quickly started scooping them up.

"Here let me help you," Bra squatted and picked up the paper at her feet.

Maron immediately held out her hand for the papers when Bra glanced at them.

"Project Couple?"

"Zarah Briefs!"

All motion in the office stopped at the sound of Pan's voice and she unintentionally distracted Bra perfectly. Maron nabbed the papers and stood up gracefully out of Bra's range.

Zarah and Trunks slowly backed away from each other, releasing body parts as they went.

"Pan-"

"Where were you?!"

Bra shook her head as they started fighting verbally. She picked her way through the rubble that used to be furniture to get to her brother.

"I'm fine Maron," Trunks waved her hands away from the gash on his forehead.

"It looks really bad," Maron was insistent, "Let me clean it."

Bra eyed them curiously and smiled, they would be perfect together.

"Well, I guess I'll see you later at home," she announced cheerfully, "Bye Zarah!"

"And another thing- Oh, bye Bra- You do not-"

"Bye Pan!"

"Bye Bra!"

"I'll see you tomorrow Maron," Bra winked over her shoulder and left the room.

Trunks, Zarah, and Maron released a breathe of relief surprising Pan.

"Next time, Zarah," Trunks remarked wryly, "Try not to pick an argument that will end in the destruction of my office."

Zarah snorted, "She wouldn't have believed anything else. Why else would I be in your office at this time of day instead of picking up Pan. Sorry love."

He pulled Pan to him and kissed the top of her head.

"It's a good thing you came Pan," Maron pulled out the papers she had shoved under the toppled desk so Bra wouldn't ask for them. "Out of all the files she could have picked up, she picked up the one we were working on."

"You're our hero," Zarah kissed his mate thoroughly in gratitude.

Trunks and Maron averted their eyes nervously.

Pan kissed him back at first then struggled as the confusion hit her.

"Wait what's going on?"

"I'll tell you on the way home." Zarah picked her up bridal style and walked out the door.

Maron and Trunks glanced at one another amused as Pan was heard screaming at him.

"So it's closing time I take it," Maron handed Trunks their plans and picked up her bag, "I'll see you."

"Bye Maron," Trunks watched her go before turning to face the mess, "What am I going to do about this?"

**

Pan was marching ahead of her hubby and was almost out the front door when a hand reached out and pulled her into a dark corner.

"Pan!" Zarah was behind her in an instant.

"Ow!" Bra smacked her cousin for the jab she had received to release Pan.

"Bra?" Zarah rubbed his cheek.

"Why did you grab me?" Pan demanded.

"I needed to talk to you guys," Bra pouted, "I thought you would like to join my plot."

"What plot?" Zarah's eyes hooded.

"I don't think you noticed but Trunks was close to Maron," Bra smiled as Pan nodded, "Let's go to your place and we can discuss this some more in detail."

Zarah grinned, "Yeah, let's go."

**

Trunks chewed on his pencil as he thought about the one problem that would mess up any plans they came up with: Goten's absence. Goten was a bit dense but he would notice that every time to visit, he and Bra would be thrust together in a weird situation.

The phone rang.

Trunks sighed and answered the private line, "Hello?"

"Trunks?"

"Hey Goten, what's up?"

"I have a big favor to ask you," his voice was hesitant.

"Anything Goten," Trunks frowned, "You know better than to ask permission for a favor."

He heard a sigh over the phone.

"I need a job."

"You always need a job, Goten, what's different? You want me to write you a resume?"

"No, Trunks . . . I . . . I came home today and my mom was in tears. She wants me to work in Capsule Corp."

"I see," Trunks swallowed, "Um, well what do you want to do?"

Silence.

"Goten?"

". . . You're really going to hire me?"

"No, Goten," Trunks rolled his eyes, "I'm going to leave you to your mother's mercy."

"But Trunks-"

"Yes, of course I am going to hire you but as what?"

"I don't know."

"Right," Trunks hummed to himself in thought, "Maybe I could put you under Sasoli and you could go on missions together."

"I can be a spy!" Goten's excitement was obvious.

"Sasoli would have to train you and have complete control over your look, pay, and hours. The only real problem with that is she's on a mission right now and won't be back for a couple of weeks."

Just enough time to get you with Bra first, Trunks added internally.

"That's cool," Goten's voice was happy, "So I just have to wait until she comes back and boom! I've got a job."

"Why wait?" Trunks smiled, "Come in tomorrow and you can be a gopher for now."

"What's that?"

"Oh, it's like a messenger but you also deliver and do other things."

"Ok," Goten smile could be felt through the phone, "You're the best Trunks."

"Of course I am," Trunks crossed of the only problem on his obstacle list, "I'll set up you right now. Come in at starting time."

"Ok, bye."

"Bye," Trunks hung up the phone, "I'll have to inform Zarah of this new development. Hmm, all in all a very productive day."

**

Bra glanced around her cousin's home curiously. The couple had apparently come to a compromise when it came to their living quarters. While they still were in a cave in the face of a cliff, there was a Capsule house in the cave where they lived.

"So what's going on Bra?" Pan collapsed into her chair.

"I want to bring together Maron and Trunks," Bra clasped her hands together gleefully.

Zarah raised a brow, "Maron and Trunks?"

"Don't you see? They're perfect! She's just low-key enough to get under his radar and he's exactly what she's looking for, you see it right Pan?"

Pan shrugged noncommittally, "It's possible, Bra, but what exactly do you want to do?"

"She wants to hatch a plan that ultimately ends in marriage," Zarah slung an arm around Pan's shoulders, "Or something close to that."

"Right!" Bra beamed, she could always count on Zarah to understand her. "Your in right?"

"Right, Pan?" Zarah nudged his mate gently.

"I guess," Pan frowned.

"Great! We'll talk tomorrow, bring some thoughts and ideas ok."

Zarah nodded and walked her to the entrance of the cave.

"Bye!"

Zarah watched her fly home until she was out of sight.

"Zarah," Pan's voice came from behind him, "What are we going to do about this? Are we really going to interfere with Trunks' love life?"

"I don't see why not," Zarah turned to his mate, "I'm already messing with Bra's."

Pan's mouth dropped open, "And who are you trying to hook her up with?"

"You're Uncle Goten," Zarah kissed her nose, "I am assuming that you are going to play both sides with me."

"Who's on the other side?"

"Trunks and Maron," Zarah laughed at her stunned expression, "I haven't told you anything yet Pan. Come in the house and I'll tell you about the kiss."

"Kiss?!"

**

Vegeta stepped from the shadows, startling his daughter.

"Dad," she smiled automatically, "You scared me."

"You didn't come home with Trunks."

Bra maintained a serene expression, no small feat when the Prince of all Saiyans had a suspicious gleam in his eye.

"No, I went to visit with Pan at Zarah's cave. We haven't talked for awhile and she wanted to show me how well the custom capsule house fit."

"I did sense them with you when you left work today," Vegeta gave her a considering look, "You did not tell Trunks where you were going."

"I didn't know I was going until I talked to Pan when she came to the building," tension eased from Bra's body, "Daddy, what's wrong? Did you need something?"

"No," the dark edge seemed to leak away from her father's body, "How was work?"

"Very strange actually."

"Hn," her father nodded and walked with her through the house.

**

Chichi hummed happily as she made dinner. Finally, her last son was starting to mature and had a job. Now, if only he was looking for a girl to settle down with. . . Whatever happened to that Paris girl? Maybe she would need to have another little talk with Goten. It was worth thinking about . . .

**

"And where have you been all day?"

Maron smiled sheepishly as she landed her small scooter.

"I'm sorry, Mom, I got a job and it started right away."

"You got a job?" Krillin grinned, "That's awesome! Where?"

"At Capsule Corporation," she smiled at their surprised faces, "I am a lowly secretary right now but, hopefully, I will start to climb the ladder."

"There's nowhere to go but up!" Krillin beamed with pride, "I'm going to tell Master Roshi!"

18 watched her husband dart away before turning back to her daughter.

"Who are you answering the phone for?"

"Zarah."

A pale brow lifted, "Trunks agreed to let you work directly under your cousin?"

"They both agreed," Maron's lip tilted up in the corners, "Come on, Mom, I'm sure dad's going to want to have a congratulations dinner."

18 nodded, "How much are you going to get paid?"

"Don't worry, you won't be disappointed and I have already received a raise."

"That was fast," surprise entered 18' s tone, "Everything is really fast."

"I know," Maron was happy for the first time in a long time, "Believe me, I know."

End of Chapter Five