Midnight Train to Georgia
By: Crow Kaiba
Genre: Romance/FLUFFINESS
Rated: T
Spoilers: Uhh…Trunks is a dude from Georgia, they're human…err.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pan, I don't own Trunks, I don't own the song Midnight Train to Georgia, and I DEFINENTELY don't own Los Angeles. Darn. I DO own this story though. YAY.
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Pan looked up from the novel she was reading as she heard the door to the small apartment open with a pained creak, and then get slammed brutally. She sighed desolately. Trunks was back, and he didn't seem happy.
Setting down her book, the petite raven-haired woman padded out of the bedroom to meet her upset boyfriend. Coming into the living/dining room, she saw the man she had fallen in love with so long ago. He hung his coat on the rack, his head down. Violet hair spilled over his face, as if trying the reassure him with a tickle. It didn't work, and Trunks ran a hand in his hair, taming the tendrils. His sky-blue gaze met her onyx one, communicating one emotion:
Rejection.
Pan watched as he slunk over to her. She opened her arms to him and allowed him to rest his head in the crook of her neck. "How'd it go, love?" She asked quietly, resting her arms around his neck. Trunks didn't reply. Instead, he brought his arms around her waist and hugged her tightly, like she was a security blanket.
For almost two years, Trunks had lived in Los Angeles, looking for his lucky shot to hit it big in Hollywood. And for two years, he had been rejected time after time after time. Pan had been with him for one year, trying to help him survive in this dog-eat-dog world. But day after day, week after grueling week, Pan watched her lover's spark of hope start to die. Now, it was barely an ember.
Pan sighed, kissing the top of his head. She was tempted to lead him to bed, but she knew that sex, over the recent months, had not helped Trunks' esteem; it had only resulted in the two of them more miserable.
"It'll get better. Just you wait." She murmured in his ear, as she had done so many nights like these in the past. Trunks lifted his head and gave her a pained look. He knew he was going nowhere fast, and even though she didn't admit it, Pan knew it too. But she didn't want him to give up hope; she loved him too much to see him so depressed.
She pulled out of his arms, and stepped into the kitchen. "Let me get you something." She said quietly, fishing through a refrigerator that was nearly empty. Trunks nodded miserably and sat down.
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Pan's eyes fluttered open when she heard the distinct sound of something falling to the floor, and then an even more distinct curse from Trunks. She sat up to find Trunks on his hands and knees on the side of the bed, stuffing clothing into a battered old suitcase—the only thing that he had come to L.A. with those two years ago.
He had managed to stuff his boxers and a pair of jeans in when Pan asked softly, "Trunks?"
The lavender-haired looked up at her in alarm, like a child does when he's caught red-handed sneaking a cookie out of the jar. "Yeah?"
"Where are you going at this time of night?" Pan knew it was late, and confirmed it as 10:58 PM when she looked at the small digital clock on the nightstand.
Trunks sighed, his eyes downcast. "I'm sorry Pan, but I have to go."
Pan, despite herself, began to panic in her mind. Go? He was leaving her! "Wh-where, T-Trunks?" She stammered.
"I'm goin' home...And I don't think I'll be back..."
Pan stared at him. She knew that this might happen, and she had tried to be the best girlfriend she could be, to prevent it. But you can't stop fate. Tears started to well up in her eyes and spill down her cheeks. "W-why?" She choked.
Trunks crawled onto the bed and pulled her to him. Pan rested her head on his chest and cried. "I'm goin' on the midnight train back to Georgia, Pan. I won't survive here any longer." He whispered.
With one last tight squeeze, Trunks let go of her. He kissed her lips tenderly for the last time, before rising out of the bed. He threw the rest of his clothing into the suitcase, slipped on his shoes, and left the bedroom; Pan jumped out of bed and followed him. She watched with tears in her eyes as he grabbed his coat off the rack. And yet, she was rooted to the spot.
The man gave her one last sad look, blew her one last kiss, before opening the door to the apartment, and leaving for good. Pan fell to her knees and cried again.
When she regained herself, she trudged back into the bedroom. Something told her to go after him, but she was too weak to try. Plus, Trunks had a strong will, and when he had decided something, he meant it.
Coming into the now lonely room, Pan went to the bed and threw herself on it, hoping for sleep. When it didn't come, Pan gave up, and just stared at the wall in the dark.
Her head began to ache from the crying after a while, and Pan reached on the littered nightstand for the aspirin kept there. In her haste, she knocked over a picture frame. Cutting on the lamp on the stand, Pan picked the frame up, turning it over. It was a picture of Trunks and her, posing like idiots in front of the hill where the HOLLYWOOD sign stood. She smiled wanly as she remembered how Trunks had pulled the car over, just to get that picture.
"Come ON! We need a souvenir!"
"Trunks! We live here! We don't have to have a picture of the freaking HOLLYWOOD sign, if we're going to see it when we drive, practically every day!"
Trunks gave Pan a puppy-dog pout. "Aww. Pwease, Panny?"
Pan glared. "Don't call me that."
"Panny."
"I MEAN IT!"
"Panny."
"FINE! HAVE IT YOUR WAY!" Pan cried, throwing her hands up.
Trunks stopped the car, and kissed her cheek, smiling. "I'm glad you see it my way..."
Pan felt tears stinging her eyes again. She now had a new resolve. What the hell was she doing here, when the love her life was leaving! She glanced at the clock and gasped. It was 11:34. The train would be leaving soon.
She sped out of the room, coming back in with a duffel bag. Running to her dresser, Pan threw clothing out of the drawers that she would need, then collected the garments up off the floor and stuffing them in the bag messily. She could always fix them later. She grabbed her toothbrush, combs, and other hygienic needs out of the bathroom, tossing them into the bag, too. Lastly into the bag was her money, the book she was reading, and the HOLLYWOOD picture.
She didn't bother changing out of her pajamas, and just threw on some tennis shoes and a coat. She grabbed the keys to the apartment and shoved them into the pocket of her coat, then hustled out the door. Glancing at the watch Trunks had left behind, now securely on her wrist, Pan found that it was 11:41—not too shabby.
Lady Luck was on her side because just as she came to the bus stop, the bus appeared. Pan loaded it, getting a weird look from the driver when he saw her pajamas. She didn't care. Looking on the route map, she saw with sheer happiness that the train station was the second stop.
The bus drive took FOREVER. When it finally pulled up to the station, Pan was ready to rip her hair out. It was already 11:53. She ran off the bus and tore into the station. She paid for a ticket with some of the little money she had carried, and then sprinted to find the platform.
In her haste, she would've missed it, had she not seen her love's shock of violet hair out of the side of her right eye. Pan whirled around, just in time to see Trunks boarding the train. He had a tired, depressed look on his handsome face. Pan's heart wrenched. Why hadn't she gone with him in the first place!
"TRUNKS!" She screamed at him. People stared at her as if she was crazy, as she continued to shriek his name and tear toward him. Trunks heard, and peeked out of the train door that he had recently entered. And he didn't believe what he saw.
When Pan reached him, she launched herself into his strong arms, nearly knocking him back. He let out a peal of laughter. "Pan! Why are you here?" He asked.
Pan tugged the heavy duffel bag onto the train, then straightened back up. She stood on her tippy-toes, kissing him gently. "I'm going with you." She whispered.
Trunks looked shocked. "Pan? But why? You have a life here!"
Pan fisted the front of his shirt in her hands and pulled him down so that their faces were barely apart. "No." She corrected. "My heart goes with you. And with it my life, and my love. How did you expect I was going live without you here with me?"
"But what about the apartment, your belongings? Your job, your—"
Pan silenced him with another kiss. "I'd rather live in your world, than live without you in mine." she sighed when they pulled away. She said it in a tone that left no room for arguments.
Trunks suddenly broke out in a smile and hugged her tightly. "Thank you."
The clock struck 12:00 and the sound of the train whistle could be heard. The two continued to hug as the train started, on its way back to Georgia, and a simpler place in time.
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Wow, a new record! I wrote this in only two hours when my one-shots usually take four or more to write. I am so proud.
I hope you like this fic. It was based on Gladys Knight's song Midnight Train to Georgia!
I love reviews, but please don't flame.
I love you all,
-Crow