1Disclaimer -heyah. Right. Maybe when I'm worth...a lot more money then one dollar and twenty-eight cents.

Affairs Of The Heart

Chapter 2

Six Months Earlier

Videl huffed a little, feeling somewhat daunted by the choices stacked and draped out before her. Really, she had no idea what to wear to a Golfing green, like she had ever been to one before in her entire life!

Reaching out hesitantly, she ran a finger down the silky material of a black cocktail dress. No, that wouldn't do. Slightly irritated she ripped the article from it's padded hanger and tossed it over her shoulder. Such temper displays, of course, were kept firmly confined to the private places within her home.

Remember, she was the Videl Shell.

Videl could only grimace at the rhyme in her name. It sounded ridiculous rolling off the tongue to strangers and continued to sound foolish even to herself.

"Now, now," she heard the finger wagging words of her father resound loudly inside her head. And she, in response, firmly tamped the radiator cap down on her emotions, leaving her once again despondent and empty.

"Dear, I'll be leaving in fifteen minutes exactly!"

Turning towards the sound of her husband's confident voice, Videl couldn't help pulling a face at his statement. There were none to witness her childish act, so what was the harm? Always he had to be prompt, acting as if he wouldn't wait if she took another hour to get ready.

But she wouldn't.

Videl finally settled her choice upon a pretty daisy patterned sun dress and a strappy pair of white sandals. Though the white disturbed her for obvious reasons (outdoors equals dirt) she decided the ensemble would adequately show a sense of elegance as well as sportiness. Two things she knew Sasuke would immediately approve of.

So, exactly fifteen minutes later, she was waiting by the front door for her husband. He had went in search of a light summer jacket for her as the forecast had called for a 'mild chill' this morning.

Her dear, sweet Sasuke...

Videl smiled upon his return and gladly accepted the help he offered in pulling on her coat.

After stepping through the door he held open, she posed a few questions as they made their way towards the elevator. "So, what does this Gohan Son do exactly?"

Sasuke clicked the down arrow button and smiled warmly at his little wife, the corners of his friendly green eyes crinkling. "Well, I thought you might find it very interesting actually. He's a man of many talents, but right now he's doing stunt work. You know, body doubles for all those famous action stars and such? He's also a well known martial artist in the circuit fighting area."

Videl looked aghast. "What, you mean tournament fighting? The underground kind?"

Sasuke appeared surprised for a moment with his wife's abrupt piping of intellect, however he quickly recovered and found it quite nice she could understand him. "Ummm...Well, I believe he did a little of that as well...You must understand dear, we aren't all as well off as the Satan family!" He chuckled in good humor, not realizing the nerve he had smacked soundly.

Videl turned her head to gaze at the city through the watery glass panes of the elevator. Yes, how the wealthy Satan Shell descended upon the unworthy masses. She couldn't help the warmth less smile she directed at her reflection, only an inkling of ancient sadness lighting her eyes.

The smog obscured buildings rose imperiously into the air of South City. Ah, how they dominated the 112 flat plane region, their only true competitor for trade lines being West City. The Satan family had been investing into this place since it was little more than a shanty town, tied as tightly to the ups and downs of economy as any of the laborers who worked in the slums for minimum wage.

Though they never had the misfortune of living strictly on peanut butter sandwiches as she knew some did.

The soft ping of an elevator stopping startled Videl from the heavy thoughts ghosting her brain, as Sasuke took a firm step in front and she once again felt the veil of 'second rate' shroud her body. Time to act like an obedient wife, both spirit and mind.

They drove down busy city streets finally reaching the outskirts of Jinji, a little suburb to the east, where Whipperwhills was situated. It was an exclusive golf club that Sasuke had been invited to join little more than four months ago when he'd received his promotion at the Tomoe, Dukes and Chestnut firm.

She remembered that specifically because her home had been filled with the sound of ringing phones; the Firm Wives welcoming a new lady to their 'clique.'

Sighing, Videl stepped from the car gracefully, careful not to lean on or touch something that might stain. She remained positioned one step behind her husband as he left his keys with the parking valet and briskly walked towards a pavilioned area just edging the green.

Sasuke gently grasped his wife's hand, leading her beneath one corner of the blue and white tarp. Since he was still painfully conscience of the fact she disliked social situations, he made sure to stand her a good few feet away from the brunching high class women and some of their children.

He smiled, pecking her on the forehead. "Darling, stay here for a moment while I go looking for Gohan. We're supposed to meet at the eighteenth hole, and I would hate for your lovely dress to get dirty or wet."

Videl nodded her head and let a small smile briefly touch her lips. "Don't take too long, you know how I hate these brainless trophy wife types."

He looked amused and chuckled lightly at her insults. "You do know you'll have to associate with them someday, Vidi-kitten."

She had to bite her tongue to keep her eyes from rolling at the dopey pet name.

"Yes dear." she replied in an equally pleasant tone.

And with that last comment Sasuke hurried off across the expansive green hills in search of Gohan Son, man of many professions.

Nervously clutching the strap of her hand bag, Videl looked towards the chatting ladies and then out to the cemented walkway twisting behind the club building.

She could pretend she'd needed to use the bathroom...Or better yet she'd needed a drink of water! Sasuke wouldn't be too upset if it had to do with her delicate sensibilities...

Lost in her own melodrama, she hadn't noticed her eyes gradually focusing on a masculine figure, standing stationary about twenty feet out in the shorn grass. She abruptly centered upon him when he turned to give the pavilion a look of unease, his wrap-around sunglasses reflecting a bright silver.

Strange...

Taking in the image of him slowly, as those confronted with the unfamiliar are wont to do, she noted the ferociously spiked hair first. She then moved down to the decrepit looking bomber jacket he wore over a white T-shirt, tucked messily into a pair of jeans. After what seemed only a moment, he stuck his hands into his pockets and hunched a pair of powerful shoulders, then came ambling their way.

Videl, sensing the look of uneasiness on his face quickly start to shift into panic, (the waves of it palpable even as far away as she was standing) felt a small drop of pity enter her heart.

Oh, she always needed to come to the rescue, and she knew for sure it was going to kill her one day.

Schooling her features into something soothingly pleasant, she lengthened her steps to intercept the man halfway across the field. He stopped sharply at her approach, a tad surprised but instantly thankful.

"Hello, do you...need any help finding your way around?"

Her voice was breathy soft, and like any other hot blooded man, Gohan couldn't help noticing the ample curve of her chest as well as the sway of her wide hips. She had two dark pigtails draped across her shoulders, and big blue eyes that looked gentler than a does.

With the smooth execution of a long time player, Gohan smiled and tipped his glasses down the bridge of his nose. "Baby, tell me you're an angel come to take me away from all this."

She looked instantly contrite. "I most certainly am not!"

Gohan chuckled and pushed his glasses back up, eliminating any further view of his sharp, dark eyes.

"...Wearing virgin white and she says she ain't no angel. Naw, I don't think I believe it."

Pursing her lips, Videl tried to recall why she had wanted to do a favor for some strange man in the first place.

"Now Videl," the words of father had returned even more clearly and she once again shoved any anger, and all her misgivings back to that locked pen inside her stomach. She felt the burning, knotting sensation begin, reminding her of the constant aches she had as a child.

Videl's features quickly returned to the placid, boring emptiness she was so accustomed to. "Believe what you would like to. I came over only to offer some help as you seemed lost and apprehensive about approaching the Firm Wives. Since there is obviously no problem I'll leave you alone."

She turned elegantly away, but was prevented from going any further by a warm, rough hand on her arm. Gohan had shoved his sunglasses up into his hair and was looking quite a bit irritated at her flippant manor.

"Wait a minute honey, you just wanted to rip my head off a moment ago, now there's no mistaking that! What in the hell just happened?"

She disdainfully shook his hand off, and treated him to a withering stare.

"I really have no idea what you're talking about."

The dark eyed man clamped his mouth shut in anger, and Videl gave him a small, vindictive smile.

"Now, if you'll excuse me."

In a sudden, surprising-even-to-himself attempt to stop her, Gohan blurted out what he was looking for.

"I can't find the eighteenth hole, 'cause this God damned place seems to be bigger than the Grande Canyon."

Her eyes lightened with interest immediately upon hearing his words. Could it possibly be...?

She looked up into his face carefully and after a moment said the words which had been racing about her brain.

"...Why do you need to go to the eighteenth hole?"

He grunted, releasing a sharp stream of air from his nose. "I don't really see how that can be any of your business, but if you've really got a need to know...Fuck, I just came up to visit a friend of mine I haven't seen in eight years and the icy bitch he married."

Gohan suddenly smiled and leaned down a little so there was only an inch or two between their noses.

"Just tell me where it is baby, so I can get down to the more interesting business of getting your phone number."

...And eventually in your pants.

Videl couldn't stop herself; the anger increasingly built to explosive levels as she asked one final question.

"What is your name?"

His friendly smile turned cocky and he crossed a pair of thick arms across his chest.

Finally, a little emotion from the blue eyed fox.

"Well that's more like it. I'm-"

"GOHAN!"

Whipping to his right where he heard the shout issue from, Gohan spotted Sasuke, the man who had helped him chuck water balloons at yucky girls when they were the ever so intelligent ages of single digits.

Gohan grinned as the other man approached, quickly clasping arms with him before they pulled each other in for a back slapping hug. Videl hid her smile behind a graceful hand, gladdened for a moment by her husband's enjoyment. Then she met a pair of flirty dark eyes and felt her mood instantly sour.

Sasuke smiled warmly and went to stand next to Videl, sliding an arm around her shoulders. "Ah, Son it's good to see you. I guess you bumped into my wife."

Mouth dropping open a little, Gohan blinked and let a very articulate question dribble from his lips. "W-wife? Huh?"

"Yes. This is Videl, or Mrs. Shell if you prefer."

Videl offered a hand to the gentleman standing before them, noticing only at the corner of her senses that Sasuke had been distracted by one of his co-workers at the firm.

She smiled, not a hint of emotion crossing her face. "Yes, Mr. Son I'm Videl Shell...or icy bitch if you prefer."

Gohan groaned, tipped his sunglasses back over his eyes, and took her hand in a gentle grip, finally noticing the rock that graced her ring finger. He harshly ignored the little shock that played down his spine as her murky blue eyes stared back into his, and shook himself at the soft cool brushing of her fingertips across his wrist.

Damnit. His best friend's wife!

Fuck.

Note - At the moment I'm postponing work on She Loved The Ballroom Blitz until I know exactly where I wanna go with it. I'm sorry but it'll happen eventually! Have faith. Oh, yeah, i'm sorry if this story seems jumpy, but it will continue on like this until the end. I naturally like writing third person.