Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I did, I wouldn't live where I live. (only disclaimer you will see for the entire fic I hate doing disclaimers.)
It's Times Like These...
Prologue: Typical
"Honey, I'm home!"
"How was your day, Mr. Executive?"
"Eh. Closed a deal. Made a few contracts. The usual."
"Daddy!"
"Sweetie! Were you a good girl today?"
"Yes, Daddy."
"Well then reach into my coat pocket. And I've got a surprise for you."
"Yay!! Candy! Thank you, Daddy!"
"You're welcome, sugar."
"Don't eat it all at once. You'll spoil your dinner."
"Yes, Mommy."
"Now go set the table."
"Yes, Mommy."
"So, what's for dinner?"
"Oh, you know. The usual."
"Steak, macaroni and cheese, and mashed potatoes?"
"Yep."
"Ah."
"I'm done with my dinner, Mommy. Can I be excused?"
"I don't know. Can you?"
"May I be excused?"
"Yes, you may."
"Sweetie, time for bed!"
"Okay, Mommy."
"Did you brush your teeth?"
"Yes, Mommy."
"Take a bath?"
"Yes, Mommy."
"Put on your pajamas?"
"Yes, Mommy."
"Well then, off to bed with you."
"G'night, Mommy."
"Goodnight, sweetie."
"G'night, Daddy."
"Goodnight, sugar lump."
And that's how it always was day in and day out. The same old lines, the same old routine. Until one day when I decided I was tired of the same old same old. I needed a change.
"Honey?"
"Yes, dear?"
"We need to talk."
"What about? Is something wrong?"
"Well, I..."
"Yes?"
"It's just that..."
"Yes?"
"I want to take a vacation..."
"Oh, alright. For a minute you had me worried there."
"A permanent vacation..."
"What? What are you saying?"
"I... I want a divorce."
"What?! Where did this come from all of a sudden?"
"It wasn't all of a sudden. I've been thinking about it ever since our annual Christmas party a few months ago. I overheard one of our closest friends mention that you could always count on us to throw the same party every year and how twenty years from now we'll still be doing what we're doing now. So I started thinking and I decided that I don't want to be that. I don't still want to be the housewife waiting for you to come home every day so we can have the same thing we eat every single night. I've already met with our lawyer, drawn up the necessary papers, divided up all our possessions, and decided that you should take custody of our daughter since you will be able to support her better than I will."
"..."
"All I need is your signature and it's done."
"Like hell I'd sign that thing."
"Why?"
"Because we need to stay together for our daughter."
"Oh, don't bring her into this. We are getting a divorce. And that is that."
"Over my dead body."
"Why are you so against this?"
"Well excuse me if I'm not thrilled to learn that my wife is abandoning me and my only daughter."
"I'm not abandoning you. I'll still visit from time to time. I just have to get out of here."
"..."
"Don't be that way."
"Why?"
"Huh?"
"Why do you want to leave me? Didn't I give you everything you ever wanted? A nice house, a secure future..."
"I never wanted those things. You thought I did. I have to go now. My cab is waiting for me."
"..."
"Look, it's not like I never loved you. I used to... but now I'm not so sure."
"No... you never loved me. You couldn't have if you wanted to leave."
"But I never --"
"Just go! Abandon us so you can go live with your boyfriend. No... don't try to deny it. I know you have someone else on the side. Why else would you leave me and your own daughter?"
"F-fine. If that's how you want it then I'll leave now."
"Wait. What about your clothes? Do you need some money?"
"Mm-mm. I have already arranged a separate account and lodgings and I'm leaving my key by the front door."
"..."
"Goodbye, Gohan."
And that's exactly how it happened. Eventually, I tricked him into signing the divorce papers by sneaking in when he was asleep. And when that happened, I used the money from our split to buy a condo in the city and to pay for my tuition to the local college. I went back to school to make a career for myself. I had always wanted to paint but when Gohan proposed I gave it up, thinking no one else would. Now I have the opportunity. I use part of my money for art supplies and the rest for utilities and grocery shopping.
Since then, I've been living as a student with a part time job at Bob's Club for a year. I haven't seen Pan much since I left that night. I do manage to see her once in a while when Goku can sneak her over without him knowing but it's not the same. I've made some new friends mostly with his family and friends since none of them really supported his decision to cut me off except for his crazy mother. It's funny, really. I used to like her and look up to her but she doesn't seem to make that much sense anymore being the only one to side with Gohan in all this. I'm also going as a new name. I don't want special treatment just because I'm still Hercule's daughter. I can use my regular birth certficate with my name on it. No one would suspect a thing. I just have to act different from how I normally act whenever I'm not around my friends.
I've heard that Gohan works later and is rarely ever home so Pan stays at Goku's house a lot. I've also heard that he's taken up drinking again. It's times like these I almost wish that I was still with him but I know that I wouldn't be happy.
I've adjusted to life without my daughter except for a weekend or so and sometimes I miss it. But I know that if I could do it all again I wouldn't. Or I would at least wait a little a while longer.