Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ/GT

Tomorrow Waits for Us

Chapter 5

The air crackled with the tension of Vegeta's unspoken question.

Some things never change, Trunks absently mused to himself as he wandered through the enormous kitchen. He felt his father's glare on his back as he searched for hot chocolate mix. He knew what Vegeta wanted, and even understood why his father was agitated. He just had too much in his mind to sort out before he explained the situation. As he put a pot of water on to boil, Trunks found himself thinking about the past again.

The year after the defeat of the shadow dragons had been hellish. Goku's request of Shenron had been honored, yet it hadn't been the clear victory that battle with Majin Buu had been. The people had been revived, but Li Shenron's planet-wide destruction had not been repaired. The dragons had destroyed almost all of the food on earth, and many of the animals. Famine and disease had been a real problem, but Bulma and the Z fighters were able to help in ways that most others couldn't.

Trunks had focused on rebuilding Capsule Corp. The capsules could be used to transport thousands of pounds of supplies, water, vehicles and even buildings. The emergency supplies that had been stockpiled at the main Capsule Corp. building had been used as wages for the employees that came back to work for him- money had been worthless at the time.

Vegeta, Goten and Gohan spent their time demolishing ruined building and clearing areas of wreckage so that new construction could begin. Uub used his bizarre talents to change things like rocks and trees into food, many times being the only thing preventing entire cities from dying of starvation. Pan and Videl delivered the capsules that Trunks was producing. Bulma spent her time supervising the effort to rebuild the dams and power plants. Slowly, the overwhelming chaos gave way to a tentative order. Shelters were set up, and lines of communication were re-established.

There was nothing straightforward about it, though. Having an entire planet devastated required that many people abandon their homes during the winter months in their hemisphere. It created a logistical nightmare for Trunks and the others that were trying to force everything back into a state of semi-normalcy. Paradoxically, some of Trunks' best employees had had joined him when they were forced to shelter in Western City. Branford and Stacy were transplants that had chosen to stay after the rebuilding had been completed.

Only in the last few months had regular air travel and commerce been re-established, and with such services available again, currency was accepted again instead of barter. Trunks realized that it wasn't his job that was bugging him, it was the pointlessness of it compared to the things he'd done in the past. He sighed his recognition of that fact as he noticed the water boiling on the stove.

In his reverie, he had forgotten to get the mugs for the hot chocolate. Worse, He'd ignored his simmering father. Let him wait, Trunks thought bitterly. He never wants to talk with me unless it's on his terms anyway.

In some ways, he and his dad were getting along far better than they ever had. However, even after the incredible events that heralded the end of an era, Trunks and Vegeta were still as far away as ever from having any kind of normal father/son relationship. Vegeta had never been prepared to be a father. It just sort of happened, and it showed in the ways that he acted toward his son. He still resented Trunks' unnatural gift for fighting and was scornful of his desire to lead a semi-normal life.

Trunks, on the other hand, still showed the scars of enduring a childhood without his father's love. He was angry at Vegeta for being so obsessed with fighting and his Saiyan heritage. There was a surprisingly deep hatred buried beneath that anger- Trunks knew that his Father would never accept him. If he didn't measure up to the absurd standards set by his father, he was a weakling. If he surpassed his father, he was a potential foe.

As Trunks was mixing the mugs of hot chocolate, he thought about how he was always afraid to put forth his full effort. The delicate peace between himself and his father required that his achievements never overshadow Vegeta's. Who knows how far I could have gone without him in my way.

As Trunks headed back to his room, Vegeta finally spoke. "I want an explanation, later," the Saiyan Prince said flatly as he continued to eat.

Trunks paused in his journey and turned back to his father. "I'll be back. I just need to tend to Pan first."

Vegeta gave him an inscrutable look, and then nodded, acting as if nothing had happened.

When Trunks walked back into his room he noticed that Pan was still asleep, but seemed to be sweating. Trunks set the two mugs of cocoa down on his nightstand, and placed his hand against her forehead. She's burning up...but maybe that's from the blankets. He took two of them off, tossing them casually on the floor. I should really be at the party, but I don't want to leave her like this. He decided to sit on his side of the bed until her condition was more promising.

Trunks sipped the dark chocolate cocoa, wincing at how bright the light seemed in his room. He clicked the remote by his bed, and all of the lights went out. The darkness seemed to swallow the room except for the faint moonlight coming from his window. As he savored the hot liquid, his internal shaking stopped.

How did Pan know that I was out there? He briefly wondered to himself. Did she follow me?

His musing was interrupted by Pan's soft sounds of discomfort. As he tried to fathom what the problem was, small, pale hands appeared from under the covers.

"Trunks...?" She asked in a sleepy voice.

"I'm here."

"Where are we...?" She asked.

"My house. You fell asleep on the way back."

"Trunks…what happened to my clothes?" She asked with a dangerous edge to her voice.

Trunks could feel a blush spread across his cheeks. "Uh…your clothes were soaked, and you were pretty cold when we got back…"

"I see." Trunks could almost feel angry sparks coming off of the volatile girl. "Are you at least going to get me a shirt?" She asked caustically.

"Uh…yeah. Sorry." Trunks finished lamely as he got off the bed and searched through his dresser for a tee-shirt. She's so small compared to me that she'll be swimming in it, but I'm sure I'd be demanding clothing if I were in her shoes. "Found one," Trunks said, feeling his composure returning slowly. I swear, she always knows how to rattle me. How does she do that?

Pan harrumphed, and Trunks was immediately reminded of more than one occasion on their grand tour. Hmm…bad temper, bossy, and not looking at me…that means she's either got cabin fever or she's upset about something. He almost smacked his palm against his head as he remembered the obvious reason for her to be upset. Duh, moron! He scolded himself. She's mad because you're leaving.

As he walked back to the bed, he tried to sort out what was going on. Starting with Branford's stunning announcement earlier that morning, things seemed to be spiraling more and more out of control every moment. Marron was risking her life and temporal cohesion itself, He was running around causing small and not so small disasters everywhere he went, Pan was sticking to him like glue, and his father was sitting downstairs, more than likely plotting a painful and lingering demise for him. Even his mom flipped out at him today. And what was up with Bra's comment about having other things on my mind tonight…?

The answer hit him with a shock so profound that he couldn't breathe for a moment. He looked over at the dark-haired girl in his bed with a new understanding of the situation. I must have been blind…I still would be if it weren't for Bra. He shook his head to clear it, but all of the pieces to the puzzle clicked into place for him, and the answer wouldn't go away, no matter how much he wanted it to.

He saw Pan's silhouette as she sat up with the blanket still wrapped around her. "Are you going to give me that, or what?" She asked sarcastically.

Trunks forced himself to move, breaking the paralysis that held him. He sat heavily on the bed, and handed her the shirt. "About time…" She muttered as she dove under the covers and came back up with the oversized shirt on.

Trunks had no idea what to do with his new insight, but he knew that things would get worse if he didn't do something about the situation. A simple idea came to him, and he found himself doing it almost as soon as it occurred to him.

He reached out and took one of Pan's hands in his and kissed it. "I'm sorry," He whispered.

For a very long moment, Trunks was sure that he'd made a mistake. Then felt Pan tug her hand back, and then the moment was over.

Trunks couldn't see Pan's eyes in the dark, but he still felt her mood shift. "Why do you have to go?!" Pan suddenly screamed at him.

The question was not what he was expecting her to say, but it wasn't totally unexpected, either. "I told you, I have to," Trunks started patiently.

"No!" She screamed again. "I want to know the real reason you're going!" She paused to get her breath back, and continued more quietly. "I know you. That isn't going to work on me."

Trunks winced. It figures that she knows I'm lying. Some god or goddess must be having a good laugh at my expense. He shook his head in disgust. Why me? On this, of all days?!

"Fine. It doesn't have to be me," Trunks admitted flatly. "My dad could do it. I won't let him."

He could feel the shock from Pan. "Why are you doing this to me…?" She asked in a tearful voice. "Why are you doing this at all…?"

"Pan, I hate to tell you this, but you have a long way to go before you can fight at our level." Trunks said the words with a distant sense of loss. "You may be able to read me sometimes, but you have to be able to understand the entire situation before you can pass judgment on me or anyone."

"Goku and Master Roshi both told me that everything that happens in the universe is connected, 'There is no coincidence.'"

"They're right. I owe the Trunks from the future a debt. That is not a coincidence. He saved me and my mother from Dr. Gero, while my dad was apparently showing off at the time."

"There are any number of reasons that I should be the one to go. If you want the truth, though…I want to."

"You selfish bastard…" She said in a low growl.

Trunks smirked, even though he knew she couldn't see it. She would hear it in his voice, anyway. "None of that name-calling, now. This is partially your fault, you know. I had no idea what to do earlier…not until you helped me out of that grave I dug for myself. I'm alive again…and I feel it."

Trunks felt the slap coming, and slipped sideways, feeling the breeze caused by the passing of her hand. It was all very surreal, in Trunks' mind. This whole day has been nothing but surprises.

"Pan, stop." He said calmly.

"Why should I?!"

He sighed softly. "'There are no coincidences.'"

"You already used that excuse!" She spat venomously at him.

"That's why I love you." Trunks said it gently, ignoring her comment.

Pan was silent, but no more slaps came from her direction. Trunks waited patiently, knowing that Pan had waited far longer to hear those words from him.

The minutes dragged on, and still the measuring silence prevailed.

"Trunks Vegeta Briefs…" Pan stated in an intense voice. "If you're lying to me right now, you will regret it in a way you've never regretted anything in your life. Turn the lights on, and say it again." The suppressed emotions in her voice were almost terrifying to hear.

Trunks grabbed the remote, and turned the lights on. The first instant was blinding for both of them, but Pan recovered before Trunks did. When his eyes finally adjusted, he saw tears in Pan's eyes, but they framed a face full of livid anger.

He knew was treading on dangerous ground. Her threat was very real, and she knew enough about how he fought to know that such a lie was not beyond him. He wasn't afraid, though. He simply had to tell her in a way that she couldn't misconstrue.

He put his hands out with his palms upward, silently asking for her hands with his eyes. He made sure that he was looking right into her eyes, not using his usual trick to make them unreadable. Pan looked at him with distrust and anger, but he saw something change. She thrust her hands into his, and he felt her rage through the almost unwilling contact on her part.

Trunks looked at her, and felt her though her hands. She was not unlike the storm that had followed them home. Chaos, barely caged, seethed beneath her surface. Who knows how much of her hopes and dreams are pinned on this. Unfortunately, her doubts and fears are just as strong. He felt a devastating sense of awe when he realized how much she loved him.

He closed his eyes as he opened the door to his feelings for her. He realized that now was not the time for half efforts or mere words. He felt again the strange warmth he'd always felt when he'd been with her as a child. The comfortable closeness, the admiration he'd felt when she'd beaten Goten at the tournament, and the tenderness and wonder he'd felt when he held her while she slept.

He remembered how she'd been on their grand tour. She had always been a shining presence, and even though she caused him no end of trouble, he knew that it wouldn't have been much fun if she hadn't decided to be a stow-away. He acknowledged the quiet love that had been growing between the two of them as time passed.

As Trunks sifted through his memories, he decided that he'd known all along how she felt. He'd felt the same…he might even have loved her more. He'd made a decision a long time ago not to feel that way about her. Fate doesn't give up so easily, I suppose. It was for her own good. He was too old for her.

She deserved to hear the truth, though. Even if there could never be such a relationship between the two of them.

Trunks opened his eyes, and allowed himself to feel all the love that he felt for Pan.

"I…" Trunks said as he lifted his left hand so that he could kiss her right one.

"Love…" He continued as he kissed her other hand.

"You…" He finished, and kissed her lightly on the lips to finish.