Disclaimer: I own everything I say I own. And if I didn't then why would I say I own?
A/N: You guys have no idea what I went through with this chapter. So many obstacles came up I could have written a book about that. It was tragic, honestly. Along with writers block and 'camp' there was the night we lost everything on the computer and I thought all my documents were gone and I cried. But we found them the next day and I could breathe again. And then, when I had the chapter ready, FanFiction wouldn't work! -kills it- And many, many more interesting tales that I could indulge in but I won't. I figure, you've waited long enough. Over a month, no?
Why Me?
She wasn't sure how long she stood outside of his house but what she did know was that the rain started to trickle slowly, beating down on her head, and then harder, making her hair stick to her scalp in clumped messes. She reached up and scraped absently at it, trying to shove it back, away from her eyes. But she wasn't seeing clearly and she wasn't sure she was thinking clearly either.
Dende, why me? She thought, fighting hard not to go up to the guardian and demand answers. Her hands flew up to her hair and she violently tugged, not sure whether she wanted to laugh or cry - not sure if she was happy or sad. She recklessly chose the former, a malicious gibber flowing from pink lips and mixing with salty tears she wasn't aware of crying. Why me? she pleaded again. Of all people, what did I do wrong?
"I know," She spoke aloud, looking over her shoulder as if there were someone listening. "It's about that time I started the ship before Goten could get on, isn't it? It's not my fault he was a playboy and just had to talk to his girlfriend!" All sanity was escaping her as she shook her head, flinging water everywhere - whether it was from tears or rain she didn't know.
If she hadn't ever started that ship - gone with Trunks instead of Goten - then maybe none of this would have happened. If she had let things play out the way they were supposed to, maybe Trunks would have always thought she was a whiny brat and ignored her. Would she have liked that better? Was that even the thing that she'd done wrong? Maybe it was a lifetime of things, a lifetime of disobeying and being impulsive. Act then think was always her motto. Maybe she was paying retribution right now. Did Dende think this was ideal entertainment?
She threw her hands in the air and stomped, breaking the pavement beneath her feet. Hadn't she had enough already? Wasn't taking Gabe enough? Why couldn't he leave her alone? "I hate you!" Her lips yelled, throwing an energy wave into the air. She wasn't even sure who she hated. Trunks maybe. Maybe Dende or Gabe. Or maybe…maybe she hated herself. Either way it was all too much.
How could fate be so cruel? Give her everything she'd ever wanted mixed in with everything she'd ever feared? It was all true, everything she'd been telling herself for years. He'd never love her, she'd never truly have him, and now she knew for sure…had always known…
Well, she wasn't going to do it. She wasn't even going to think about it. She was outraged, her dignity had been shot - her pride had been torn in half. She'd been thrown around too much for too long to want this right now. He'd been using her for years and there came a time when she had to be sick of it. Well…no, that wasn't entirely true.
She begin to walk home slowly, still letting the rain fall on her. And her mind was captured by the thoughts of all the times he'd been their for her. He wasn't using her all the time…in fact…when had he ever used her? Well, besides that one time after Marron's wedding. And whenever he called her to 'pick a number' - but that was in love, she reminded herself. Then, as quickly as she had the thought and a smile had begin to sneak on her face, it wiped away with a vengeance. He'd never love her. Isn't that what he'd just spent this whole 'date' trying to get her to understand?
But that was just it, she didn't understand. If he could never love her why was it that he forgot all about Marron when she was around? Why was it that he felt so comfortable with her and she meant so much to him? How could he say he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her and then say he could never be in love with her? And what did it matter, if she'd already decided she wasn't going to do it? Why was she still thinking about it when she said she wasn't?
Because she was pissed, that's why. She was hurt and angry beyond belief and she couldn't imagine how to go about ignoring those feelings. You can't tell someone that you want them to mean everything to you and then say, oh by the way, I'll never love you that way. It just doesn't work. She clenched her fists in and out, letting her blood boil at the thoughts flooding through her head. She was bubbling and tipping over the edge, and she realized that she needed to release this steam or she was going to explode. Everything that had been pent up in her for years was suddenly floating to the surface and if she didn't find some way of calming down her body was going to burst from the inside out.
Her course changed almost instantly. She looked down at her watch, deciding that the hour was just late enough to piss someone else off, and she smiled. Confirming her thoughts with a nod. She threw her body up into the air and took off in the other direction, rubbing her fingers together as if they were itching, excited about what she knew was coming. It'd been too long anyway.
*
"Get up Vegita!" She yelled as she walked into the kitchen. The man's head was laying limply on the table, his mouth slightly open, his cheek pressed firmly against the wood. He stirred at the sound of her voice, not the least bit startled at being so rudely awakened. But he wasn't expected to be, he'd lived too long with Bulma - who was the loudest person on earth - to be surprised by suddenly loud sounds.
His eyes eased up until they were scrutinizing her face and then a slow, somewhat malicious smile fitted onto his lips. One of his eyebrows lifted and his head titled to the side as he observed her. "Brat." He nodded his greeting, keeping his voice neutral, all emotion cleared out of his tone.
"I hope you aren't too tired." She didn't bother to beat around the bush, rolling the sleeves of the T-shirt she was wearing up more, because it was too big on her. His 'smile' took on the characteristics of his famous smirk as he stood up, stretching his body and shaking his head at once.
"Let's go."
*
Her fist landed in his face again and again, shocking blows that repeated with angry succession. Her vision was blurred by watery eyes as she continued to swing, throwing her weight into every punch. She grunted when they landed on him and she grunted when they missed. Finally, Vegita stepped back and threw his hand up, catching her small fist in his palm and holding her still with his strength.
"Calm down." He commanded, his voice teetering between great anger and great amusement. "I won't fight you until you calm down."
"Stop being so self-righteous." She huffed shifting her body weight and slamming her other fist into his side. He moved, but only slightly, before he grabbed that hand as well, shoving her back, his brows furrowed as he did so.
"You're useless unless you harness your anger and use it with you. You're fighting blindly and it's wasting my time. Calm down or go home."
"Just. Fight. Back." She threw her weight into him each time she said a word, pushing her body against his palms in an effort to get him to let her go.
"Not until you calm down." His look was stern as he assessed her, trying hard to figure out exactly what the problem was. Pan stared into his face, nostrils flaring, demanding with her eyes that he try and calm her. Daring. After a staring contest - that he won - he snorted and dropped her hands, letting her sink to the floor in agony.
Her breathing was heavy and coming out in shattered pants that she couldn't control. Sweat toppled from her forehead and cascaded down her T-shirt as if she'd just run around the world six times instead of throw a few measly punches into a man's chest that was as hard as a brick wall. She sniffed and lowered her head, as if ashamed of something, before looking back at him, her eyes searching. When she realized his gaze was questioning, that he wanted to know what had her so fired up, she said the only thing she could think of. "I hate him!" With more fervent anger than she ever knew she could muster.
"No you don't." He said softly, as if he understood everything now. As if he knew exactly who she meant and why she 'meant' it. And more than likely, he did. He'd always known everything. Always known how she was feeling. And why. Sometimes before she did. He held this eerie air about him that had only been matched by her grandfather, who wasn't there to help her anymore. And for the second time this night, she wasn't sure who she hated - but Vegita seemed to be sure.
"You love him." It was a statement, not a question. Said in a way that suggested he was very disgusted by the mere thought of it. And then he added, quietly, as though he were the only one meant to hear it, "And he loves you."
"No he doesn't." She responded automatically, snappier than she'd meant to be. "He doesn't and he told me so." She shook her head with venom, not even allowing the thoughts he tempted to implant in her head to travel through her brain.
"He knows nothing." Vegita snorted, adjusting his shirt and turning around, obviously bored of her pity party.
"Maybe. But he was pretty sure about that." She responded automatically, more to herself than him, anger still searing through her as she blinked back the red her eyes were seeing.
"He knows nothing." Vegita repeated, shaking his head as he exited.
She sat, shocked, for a few minutes. Her mouth was slightly open as she considered him, knowing what he'd just said was a big deal. For him to have repeated something, anything she knew it had to be very important. But it couldn't be true. Trunks had said he wasn't in love with her and he was in control of his own feelings. He knew how he felt better than anyone else - certainly better than Vegita. So how was he supposed to tell her what Trunks felt? It wasn't possible. And it didn't matter.
Even if Trunks did love her, and came professing that undying love to her on bended knee, she'd never fall into his arms now. It was too late for that. How could he expect her to respond regally to his offer of a phony marriage? He was taking something that was supposed to be sacred between two people and devaluing it so that it was nothing more than a whole bunch of legal papers that signified a lifetime punishment. And it was insulting to the entire institution of marriage.
The least he could have done would be to try and love her. But he didn't even put up any effort. He didn't even pretend to put up effort. He just said, 'hey, let me be your friend forever'. So what happened when he fell in love with someone else? Or when he met some beautiful girl that he'd rather be 'friends' with? What then? And what if she met someone who loved her more than life? What if she woke up every morning and hated where she was and who she was with? Hated that he could never love her and she'd tried so hard for so long? What if she married him on the pretence that he would fall in love with her one day and he never did?
What if she didn't?…
No. Listening to Vegita on the matter of his son's heart wasn't something that she could trust right now. Right now it was too important that she got things right the first time. Right now she couldn't take any chances. And marrying Trunks would be a chance too big to correct if it wound up being a mistake. But maybe, if she waited and played her cards right, he would fall in love with her the regular way. And then they could get married and have a large family and live happily ever after.
And maybe a snowball stood a chance in hell. Maybe pigs would learn how to fly. Maybe Goku would show up on her doorstep in the morning wearing a bright grin and acting as if he'd never been gone.
Then again. Maybe not.
What if she didn't do this and wound up regretting it for the rest of her life? What if she and Trunks grew old and were still alone, with nothing, no one? Who's fault would that be? If they were miserable when they could have had each other? What if this were the one road that would lead to her 'happily ever after'? What if she was supposed to do this - if Fate were sending her some kind of hint…What then? She had no answers and a million questions and it was so frustrating that she almost wanted to cry again.
"I'm going home." She told no one as she stood up and rolled her shoulders. She heaved a sigh and then walked out of the gravity room the same way she'd come.
*
She hid in her room for nearly two whole weeks before anyone came with the pretense of 'rescuing' her. And her blessed hero just so happened to be the blue haired beauty herself, Bra. The girl made a point of shoving Pan aside and invading her room, going through her personal space, and snooping until Pan couldn't take it anymore.
"What do you want, Bra?" She asked with aggravation, raking her fingers through midnight strands while trying to maintain calm.
"I want to know what's gotten into you Pan. I know you came to capsule a while ago and picked a fight with Dad. And then I know I didn't see you again. What I don't know is why."
"When did you see me? It was late, Bra." She skillfully avoided answering the question. Subtly, not exactly changing the subject.
"It wasn't that late, Pan. I don't go to sleep until three anyways." For a moment Pan stared at her blankly, blinking and lifting her eyebrows as if Bra had said something incredibly stupid. And, in Pan's mind, she had. Who stays up until three o'clock in the morning every night? And why? Pan shook the thought away as Bra gave her a very dirty look.
"You're just trying to avoid telling me what I want to know, aren't you?" Bra narrowed her eyes at Pan, hands on hips.
"You caught me Bra. I'm trying to avoid explaining what really happened two weeks ago. It's so juicy you'll never guess." Her voice was flat, as if sarcastic, but held a little intrigue so that she could be sure Bra would bite.
"Well, tell me then. And don't skip a detail. And be honest." Bra said the last part as a warning, narrowing her eyes and giving Pan a detailed stare down.
"I'm not afraid of you Bra." The older girl stated, keeping her voice even and her figure static.
"That's besides the point, Pan. We can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way. The quicker you tell me the sooner I'm gone." The girl had a point. Pan could just tell her and she'd leave - it's not like she'd believe it anyway.
"Okay, you caught me. Two weeks ago your brother asked me to marry him and I'm dealing with the indecision right now." Her tone was deadly serious and for a second Bra stood there, staring at her blankly. And then she burst into uncontrollable laughter.
"If you didn't want me to know Pan," She started between gasps. "That's all you had to say."
"Well I don't want you to know." Pan shrugged, her eyes never loosing their luster and Bra's laughter quickly died away. She was obviously having a thought. She pivoted on her heel quickly, swinging around with a gasp. Her eyes landed somewhere near Pan's nightstand and her hands flung up to her mouth in what appeared to be disbelief.
"Dende!" She exclaimed. "I don't believe this!" She broke into a run before Pan could gather what it was she didn't believe and what it was she was looking at. Past Pan, out the door, down the stairs and then there was no sound. Pan tilted her head, confused, before she followed where Bra's eyes had gone and her own expanded in horror.
"No!" She shrieked, running out of her room as well. "Bra, wait! You've got the wrong idea completely. You're so off base it's not even funny!" She was down the stairs in a split second, heart pounding, muttering swears under her breath. "I don't believe this."
She was halfway down the street by the time she caught up with Bra, who seemed to have completely forgotten that her air car was capsuled in her pocket. Pan reached out frantically and grabbed the demi-saiyan's arm, yanking her back with as little force as possible considering the situation. "Where are you going?" She panted out, not really tired from the run but more from panic.
"I've got to tell-" Bra cut off abruptly, seeming to just realize who she was talking to. "I mean, I've got to ask Trunks if it's true…"
"You've got to tell who, Bra?" Pan dared, her eyes glinting dangerously with unspoken threats.
"I corrected myself. I meant, I had to ask Trunks. Not tell him, of course. Why would I say-" She stopped herself, seeing that Pan wasn't going to bite and beginning to become aware of the fact that she was babbling.
"Who are you planning to tell that little lie to, Bra?" She asked again, more menacing than before, eyes now screaming murder. Her grip became tighter on Bra's arm, until the younger girl scrunched her face from the pain and shrank back.
"I wasn't going to-" When Pan's grip got tighter she cut off all speech. "Pan," She tried again. "I saw the ring, there's no point in pretending like it's not true now."
"No Bra. You saw a box. You have no idea what's in that box or who gave it to me for that matter. You don't even know if it's mine. Maybe, just maybe, Trunks gave me that ring because he didn't want to be reminded of Marron when he found out she and Goten were engaged." Her tone was icy as she spoke, anger seeping through her words and burning the atmosphere like acid.
"Oh." Bra replied lamely, her shoulders dropping as she yanked her arm out of Pan's grasp. Then, as quickly as her shoulders fell, they came back up again and she was shaking her head. "You little liar." Her eyes were lighting with excitement. "Not only is the box in your room a silver-blue color and Marron's ring box was just silver, but Mom's got Marron's ring. Trunks left it at capsule when Marron left him."
"I am not a liar. I said maybe. As in, you should mind your own business. But since you're so noisy, and I can't seem to quell that curiosity, I guess I'll have to explain my personal life to you." She sounded rather grumpy as she announced this, shaking her head and still staring at the girl with malice. "Let's go." She grabbed Bra's arm again, pulling her back towards the house.
"Where are we going?" Bra was hesitant to ask anything else, noticing how incredibly nasty Pan was being, and she hadn't been so rude in months. Not to mention, Bra was sure she'd have a bruise on her arm tomorrow and she was not looking forward to seeing it there.
"Back to my room. So you can see the ring."
"So there is a ring?" The excitement was back in her voice now as she eyed Pan with raised eyebrows. "I knew it. Oh, this is so good." She was smiling pleasantly as Pan tightened her grip, feeling her blood boil because Bra was so interested.
She wasn't even sure why it upset her so much. It shouldn't have. Bra had always been a busy body, and she was perfectly on target this time. But maybe that was just it. Bra was right. For once there was juicy gossip and Pan was right in the middle of it. And she wasn't really sure what to do about it. She had never been the center of attention unless she was being laughed at, when it came to girls like Bra and Marron. Not saying Bra was horrible person, because she wasn't. But she was Bulma's daughter and certain personality traits did rub off. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.
And Bra was always in everyone's business. Not to mention, being Vegita's daughter, she was shrewd about it. She didn't care who's feelings she hurt because, in her mind, any one person should be strong enough to handle anything that came against them. This wasn't a personal slight against Bra at all, in fact, it was part of what made her charming. But it was also what made Pan angry. Bra always had a way of pointing out the one thing that everyone else had the tact not to say and putting it on the table. She'd been the only person to ever say anything when she thought Pan had feelings for Trunks, and it was right in Trunks' face. She'd even been so bold as to tell Trunks to just screw Marron and get it over with when they were going through their 'sexual tension' phase right before dating. She was probably the one that shoved them together.
And now Bra was sticking her nose right where it didn't belong again. Into someone else's business. And she wasn't likely to forget this day anytime soon no matter what Pan told her in a few seconds. She was always going to be watching Trunks for any sign of interest now, and pointing out all the little things he did that made Bra believe he was or was not interested. She was going to apply her hawk-like observance to Pan and let the entire world know Pan was still in love with Trunks. And that wasn't going to fare over well after she told the man she wasn't going to marry him. That wouldn't do at all.
How would she explain that to him? 'I love you but I can't marry you' wouldn't work in a situation like that. No more than his 'you're everything to me, I want to marry you and take care of you, cherish you and adore you, but I don't love you' attitude worked in this one. He'd resent her just like she resented him and that was the last thing she wanted.
There couldn't be any more strains to test her friendship with Trunks. Another storm, even a little one, would destroy them completely. She was more than sure of it. He was far more than she could take and there came a point where you just had to cut your losses. Sometimes people were more trouble than they were worth and, as much as she hated to lump Trunks in that category, he was vastly approaching.
She knew she couldn't cry over him again. She knew she couldn't continue to give and not get. She knew she couldn't look at him everyday and yearn for him to love her knowing that he never would. It was breaking parts of her heart she didn't know were there. She was surprised anything was left. And now this. Now Bra. Why did she have to deal with this?
When they'd made it to her room, Pan let go of Bra's arm and took a second to glare at her before she walked over to her nightstand and picked up the box. She held it in her hands for a second, staring down at it as if she'd never seen it before, and then heaved a heavy sigh, handing it over.
"What are you giving it to me for?" Bra asked, while taking the ring. She didn't wait for an answer, simply took it upon herself to open the box and gaze at the contents. She gasped at what she saw, though she already knew a ring would be in there. "Pan. This is beautiful."
"Exactly." Pan nodded, as if that explained everything.
"So. What does that solve? What does it prove? It looks expensive, and it's definitely an engagement ring, now I'm only more convinced it was Trunks."
"Bra." Pan started, tilting her head and widening her eyes as if the younger girl were completely daft. "Look at that ring. It's gorgeous. Do you think your brother could pick something like that out without a woman's help?"
"For you, Pan?" She asked, as if that mattered. Pan stared at her for a second, considering whether or not the girl were serious, and then, if she were sane.
"What are you talking about Bra?" Pan tried again, exasperated with her attempts at understanding the girl. She'd rather it just be explained to her.
"It's obvious to anyone who has eyes, Pan. My brother's in love with you. I've been waiting for him to realize it. We all have." For some reason, Pan felt anger swell inside her again. She couldn't stop it. Her power flared and Bra stepped back, shocked. Pan's face contorted into something that wasn't quite so pretty as she shook her head, eyes watering from pure, unadulterated, rage.
Pan didn't know why, but something inside of her just snapped. She was so tired of everyone else telling her who was in love with her and what she should do. She had heard from Trunks' mouth that he wasn't in love with her. She had heard him say it, felt his heart rate as he spoke the words, looked into his eyes. She knew he wasn't lying. She knew he was earnest. And she knew he didn't want to be. He wanted to love her and she wanted him to but he couldn't. And what was with everyone suddenly throwing it in her face? Why was everyone in the Briefs' family taking it upon themselves to deal with Pan's love life? She was sure Bulma would have her hand in it if there were any indication given to her of what was going on. And Pan simply couldn't take it. Even the thought enraged her. Just considering made her want to destroy something. Hurt someone. She was mad enough to kill.
"What is wrong with you people?" She spoke, voice deadly soft as she stepped closer to Bra, eyes unblinking, she stared hard at the girl. "Why did you say that? What's wrong with you? And your father? And what do you mean, 'we all have'?" Her shoulders pushed up and then back down, the only indication that she was still alive, because the rest of her remained perfectly in her place, waiting.
"Pan…" Bra was at a lost for words. Her mouth went completely dry as she stared back at her, backing away a little and eyeing the door with longing. "Pan, listen to me, okay? Calm down. Please, Pan. Calm down." Bra fidgeted with her fingers, lowering her eyes and saying a silent prayer to Dende. She could feel the anger radiating off Pan and she knew this wasn't a good thing. She didn't know what she did, or what she said to enrage the girl so completely, but she desperately wished she could take the words back. Her heart pumped furiously in her chest as blood flooded in her veins. She was sure, for a second, that she stopped breathing as she looked into Pan's eyes. Or the air ran away from her. Everything was hot and she was very scared. She swallowed hard again, feeling like she'd just inhaled a bag filled with sand and she could no longer inhale and exhale properly. She bit her lip and tilted her head to the side, observing Pan's still stance, the way she eyed her with venom, and maneuvering her hands in what she hoped was a peaceful manner. They were shaking as she tried to speak again. "Please," was all she could get out before Pan advanced on her.
"Answer my question, Bra!" The girl snapped quite loudly, making the glass in her window give a slow, creaky wail of protest as it nearly cracked in half. Bra shut her eyes, as if she'd just been impacted with Pan's fist, and she drew in a shaky breath. She opened her eyes slowly, giving off the impression of an abused child who'd just done something they knew was wrong.
"Pan," Her voice came out as a whimper of pleading and it was then that Pan's anger broke. That her power relaxed and she regained her sanity. It was then that she caved at the knees and fell into a helpless wreck on the floor. Her eyes had flashed a golden hue of green before she dropped, unconscious on the hardwood.
It was a frantic, but annoyingly familiar voice that pulled her into the light and forced her to open her eyes. She blinked groggily, waiting for the room to snap into focus and stop being four different places at once, before she realized that she was in capsule. And there were three heads staring over her. Two of them with incredibly concerned faces. Briefly, she noted she was wet, but paid little attention to that small detail as she tried to regain her memory and come up with a probable explanation for being here with two pairs of blue eyes and one pair of dark brown staring at her as if she were dead.
"Are you all right, Pan?" This was Bra, frantic as she wrung her hands through each other nervously. "Do you know who am I? Can you see me clearly?"
"She's not dim-witted." Vegita replied, semi-annoyed with his daughter. This in itself was a rare occurrence, Bra was his little princess. Now Pan knew something was wrong. Vegita was even snapping at his daughter.
"What happened?" She asked, trying to pull her body into a sitting position but unable to move.
"Don't do that, honey." This was the other one with blue eyes, Bulma. The same voice that drew her out of her unconscious state. She distinctly remembered the high pitched wail the woman let out, and she scrunched her face at the thought. Bulma must have thought the movement was out of pain because she placed a gentle hand on Pan's shoulder and leaned in so close their noses were nearly touching.
"Are you all right?" She whispered, as if talking any louder would break whatever defense the young girl had built up.
"I think I'm fine." She finally answered, wrinkling her brow with confusion. "Why? What happened?" She groaned as she managed to push her body up, successfully moving Bulma out of the way in the process.
"That's good. Good." Bulma nodded, shaking her head at the girl's stubborn demeanor. "But I want you to lay down, Pan. You shouldn't be getting up just yet." Her eyes held some kind of ominous warning that sent shivers through Pan's body. What sort of horrible thing happened to her that she couldn't remember?
"She's fine." Vegita protested as Pan lazily let her eyes slide to him. One glance and she knew nothing had gone wrong. She could see the pride in his face and it made her blush a slight red.
"No she's not, Vegita." Bulma protested bitterly. "Look at her face, it's flushed! She's worn out and if she moves she's going to pass out again."
"She a saiyan!" He announced as if it had never been spoken before. As if this were a new revelation and that should explain everything. Pan lifted her eyebrows because she'd never heard Vegita speak to Bulma in such a trying manner and she never expected it. Clearly, Bulma was thinking along the same lines for she shut her mouth tightly and crossed her arms, holding them firmly at her chest with pent up anger.
"Well. If you know everything then you don't need my opinion." She was huffy and even Pan could tell that he should backtrack, make her feel better in some way. Let her have her own way. But he didn't relent, instead he smiled evilly - a real smile, not a smirk - and nodded his head.
"Now you're getting it, woman." Bulma's eyes got as big as saucers as she drew in a deep breath and let it out again. She narrowed her eyes, glaring at him, not blinking or moving, just standing there for a long time. He smirked and her nostrils flared.
"I am too through with you right now, Vegita!" She threw up her hands and walked out of the room, still yelling and ranting as she went. "Do whatever you want then. Haul the girl up by her hair. Make her do a thousand push-ups and wait until she breaks into an even heavier sweat! Force her to do warm-ups and practice exercises until she can transform completely!" Her voice faded away after that and it became clear that she was a long way away, but brief snippets could still be heard of her rant. She was an incredibly loud woman.
"Transform completely?" Pan asked, catching on quickly and so shocked that she could feel her lips go chap from the thought of it. "Do you mean…?"
"That's exactly what she means." Vegita smirked proudly, nodding his head and being uncharacteristically social about the situation. He wasn't smiling or anything of the sort, but his arms were uncrossed and there was glint in his eyes that made Pan want to blush again. She'd never seen someone look at her and have that much honor in their face. Not even her father. And especially not Vegita.
"What's wrong with Mom?" She heard another familiar voice say at the doorway as she slowly turned her head, heart thudding in her chest. To be honest, she couldn't decipher whether it was because she'd just learned that she nearly went super or because Trunks was standing there, looking at her as if nothing were different and yet, as if nothing were the same.
How could he pull that look off. How could he pull off such handsome features? How was it that he managed to stop her heart every time he smiled at her in that certain way? And why was it that right now all she could think about was his proposal and her desire for him to mean it with all his heart? For crying out loud, she'd nearly achieved what she'd thought was impossible for so long. They all told her to give up the notion. That she couldn't go super - that she could be as strong as a super saiyan but never make the transformation. They'd all told her that she didn't have enough saiyan blood to pull it off. That no matter how much fight was in her, she'd never be able to do it. And they were all wrong.
She almost did it. But a lingering voice in the back of her head told her that 'almost' didn't even come close to counting. And, at the same time, she wasn't even concentrating on any of that. Only the way her stomach turned when he titled his head to the side and his hair flopped into his eyes like that. She wanted, more than anything she could think of wanting thus far in her life, to brush that hair away from his face. Her fingers were burning. And this was insane.
Why was it that her feelings for him increased every time she thought of marrying him? When she knew it was a sham? What was wrong with her? She was filled with far too many questions and definitely no answers. And this wasn't a good thing.
"Pan almost went super." Bra announced, the same proud smirk on her face that Vegita was wearing. It was as if she'd done it, she looked so happy about it.
"What?" He cried out in shock, grabbing his heart and then letting out a heavy sigh. He ran to the bed she was lying on, leaning over her, pure concern in his face. "What the hell were you thinking? Are you all right?" There was a flash of anger but it was overshadowed by panic as he gently lowered his hand and stroked her face, brows furrowed with confusion. "Pan, are you all right?"
It wasn't until he repeated the question that she realized she was laying with her head on the pillow, eyes closed, relishing in his touch. She hadn't answered his question and she wasn't aware of how much time had gone by. What was the question again? Oh, yes, was she all right?
"I'm fine, sweetheart." She nodded, smiling faintly before closing her eyes again and letting her head lay limp on the pillow. "What's your problem, anyway?" That took a moment because she'd just come to realize that he asked her what she'd 'been thinking'. "It's not like I woke up this morning and said, 'hey, why don't I go super-saiyan and see who I can scare the hell out of.' Geesh."
"Well don't do it again. Look at you, you're not fine." She opened her eyes slowly, just in time to see the deepened frown on his face as he observed her, before shutting them again. "You're sweating enough to overflow rivers and you can't hold your eyes open." He sounded like he was scolding a four year old who just had to play in the dirt and track it through the house. "Look at me Pan. Open your eyes and look at me."
Begrudgingly she opened her eyes, very slowly mind you, and stared at him. Her vision was slightly blurry and looking at him was beginning to make her nauseous - but not in the way she used to be around him - and briefly she wondered if she was going to pass out.
"Don't ever do that again." His eyes held a warning in them that told her exactly what would happen should she choose to ignore his command. But it wasn't like this was something she could control. Who was he to tell her what she couldn't do anyway?
"You're foolish boy. She's got to practice it to control and master the urge. She can't just shove it down and forget about it."
"Father, I'm not going to let her put herself in danger like that. She can fight the urge, she knows how to control her anger. She's a grown woman and she's not going to do that again." They were staring at each other, both of them saying menacing things through the silence, until - to both Pan and Bra's surprise - Vegita looked away.
"Who are you to tell me what to do, Trunks?" Pan managed, anger souring slightly before she shut her eyes again. Suddenly everything was too bright, her eyelids were too heavy, and the pain was too sharp. "You don't control me." She continued on despite. "It's not like you care if I live or die except that would mean you'd be alone." Her voice was groggy and fading away quickly, so badly that he could barely make out the words.
"Pan, love, stop talking. Preserve your energy. And you know that's not true." He managed to shove in that little reprimand before her world got too heavy and everything swerved out of focus again.
"She knows." Bulma said, now standing at the doorway again and gazing at her son as he cared for the quarter-saiyan. "She's just delirious right now. That's why she's sweating. Too much stress to her system, she couldn't handle it all. Most of the kinks should work their way out in a few hours. Trunks, why don't you take her home with you and watch over her for the rest of the day? Neither Gohan nor Videl are able to do it if at all possible, they have affairs to attend to with business, and it would be much easier that way." Her eyes glinted with something only her husband caught, but he pursed his lips together, snorted and turned away from them, crossing his arms in the process.
"Yeah. But do you think it's wise to move her? Maybe she should just stay here." He glanced worriedly from his mother back to Pan, eyes alight with some kind of unseen pain.
"If you didn't have the time that's all you had to say." Bulma snapped, knowing full well that's not what her son had meant at all.
"No, Mom, that's not it. I mean, I'm not leaving her here alone. I'm not leaving." He fumbled for a way to explain himself and fight the blush that was close to rising in his cheeks. "What I meant was, maybe I should look after her while she's here."
"Excuses. Fine, don't move her and sneak out of here the second you get the chance. See if I care. But I'd feel so much better if I knew you were watching over her."
"Mom." He sighed, exasperated. "Can I move her or not?" Bulma smirked, very Vegita-like, and nodded her head. Her eyes were still holding that dangerous glow and now even the younger Brief was catching on. She laughed softly to herself and threw something at Trunks, yelling heads up on her way out the door.
He caught it, slightly baffled and studied it for a moment. It was a ring box. He'd worry about that later. He shoved it into his pocket and gently lifted Pan up, eyeing his mother and father as he carried the young girl out of the room. When he was a safe distance away, Vegita couldn't help himself and just had to tease.
"Gohan and Videl have business affairs to attend to after you told them their only child had almost turned super saiyan and was now deliriously sweating her life away?" His eyebrow quirked but his voice remained even as he questioned her.
"Of course not. I told them Pan was feeling slightly under the weather and wanted to stay with us but we were sending her with Trunks instead." She winked at her husband, sauntering out of the room with a dignified shake to her hips. He shook his head, smirking again and muttering 'woman' under his breath.
A/N: So, I hoped you liked this chapter. It was like pulling teeth to get this out. I tried my best, honest you guys. Thank you so much for your devotion and your patience and I would really appreciate it if you'd leave a review to tell me what you thought. I am brining you the next update as fast as humanly possible, under all my circumstances. But I promise it won't take as long as this one did. Nothing will if I can help it. Now, it's really late so I'm going to bed.