Disclaimer: see chap. one
Chapter 10

"What are you talking about?" Pan asked Trunks still slightly hysterical, "And how do you know that my mother's okay?" Pan asked her voice shaking with emotion as tears filled her eyes.

Trunks hesitated he still wasn't exactly sure what had made Pan so upset, although he had a suspicion. He did promise Gohan that he wouldn't tell her, but, if she already knew.

"Tell me what's wrong first."

Pan wrapped her arms around herself tightly for comfort. She didn't know whom to trust any more. Her own parents lied to her, why should she trust Trunks? Trunks handed her a handkerchief and she quickly took it wiping her face off and blowing her nose on it. Smirking she handed it back to him as he chuckled.

"What ever it is I won't leave you I promise." Trunks whispered looking into her still misty eyes.

Pan could almost feel genuine concern for her ebbing off of him. Plus in the close quarters of the car his scent was almost hypnotic.

"I already told you, I'm a monster, a freak. My mother told me so." Pan said sadly looking away from him.

Trunks turned her face back towards him and she clasped her hands together nervously.

"Okay, Well to answer your question. I know those things because I'm a monster too."

Pan froze. He smiled softly at her and she suddenly realized that he was serious. She started shaking her head no as she fumbled for the door handle. Trunks reached out for her but she was already out the door running. She heard the other car door open and she knew he was coming after her so she headed for the back of the park hoping to lose him in the trees.

Trunks cursed himself as he hurried after her. He had done very well controlling himself in the car. Her scent was even stronger today than yesterday, which he didn't think could be possible. As he followed her an odd feeling came over him. He felt almost primal, like a hunter stalking his prey. Smirking he was surprised to find that his canines seemed to be a little longer than before. He ran his tongue over his teeth surprised to find that they were shaper as well. Realizing he had stopped at the edge of the forest he sniffed the air to find out which direction she had gone.

Pan spared a second to glance behind her to see if she was being followed. Relieved to see no one there she was surprised when she turned around and ran into a brick wall.

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Gohan reached the hospital at the same time that Videl's ambulance had pulled up. He landed on the roof and hurried to her side.

He was relieved to find that she was awake.

"Are you okay?" Gohan asked worriedly.

Videl smirked. "Yeah, my head's pounding but I'll be fine, I've been worse off than this before. I didn't realize she could be that strong. Is she okay?" Videl asked worriedly, her head was aching too bad to be able to check for herself.

Instinctively he felt for Pan's ki to make sure she was ok. He felt Trunks ki near hers and he relaxed a little. Gohan nodded dropping to his knees beside her bed.

"She's fine Trunks is with her. I'm so sorry Videl. I feel that all of this is my fault. You were right. I bet she hates me now." Gohan rested his head on the stretcher as tears fell from his eyes. He jolted as Videl let out a small shriek. Gohan looked up to see Goku and Vegeta in the room with them.

"Hey Gohan! What's up?" Goku greeted him warmly.

Gohan smiled in spite of himself. His father never changes.

"I told her the truth." Videl said speaking for her husband. "She didn't take it very well."

Vegeta snorted. "You can't change fate." He said looking pointedly at Gohan.

Gohan laughed nervously. "Oh come on Vegeta, your not still thinking about that life mate nonsense are you?"

"Where's your Brat?" Vegeta asked simply.

"She's with Trunks." Videl replied as Vegeta almost smiled. "What are you and Gohan talking about?" Videl asked not quite able to follow the conversation.

"Ask him." Vegeta replied shortly.

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The brick wall wrapped it's arms around Pan and shot straight up into the air like a rocket.

Pan who was frozen with fear was taking a second to realize that it wasn't a brick wall after all. It was Trunks and he was flying. Terrified, Pan looked down as she started to panic. "What are you doing? Let go of me!" Pan kicked and thrashed against Trunks hard muscular chest. Unfortunately she missed the smirk on his face as he gave in to her request and released her.

Pan screamed as she fell quickly back through the puff of clouds. She was dizzy from the sudden change in elevation and she closed her eyes tightly not wanting to watch herself crash into the ground.

Suddenly her downward spiral halted and she felt warm arms around her again. Still shaken she wrapped her arms around his neck tightly and buried her face in his neck. His scent slowly penetrated her mind calming her. Trunks held her as if she were a child and gently rubbed her back as he spoke to her soothingly.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I gottcha now. It's okay." He whispered.

Trunks flew to a small island off the coast that was not inhabited. He landed so softly that Pan wasn't even aware of it. He held her tightly not wanting to let her go. He dipped his head down and inhaled deeply as his nose connected with her hair. Pan eyes popped open at this, noticing that he had stopped flying she squirmed in his arms and he reluctantly released her.

Pan turned around and punched him as hard as she could in the face.

"That's for dropping me!" She screamed as Trunks desperately tried to hold his oozing nose and cover his ears at the same time. Still angry she kicked him in his shin. "And that's because I'm still mad!"

Pan headed for the beach and was dismayed to find that the main land was just a spec on the horizon. There was no escape, how the hell did he learn to fly anyhow? She thought.

"It's actually not that hard." Trunks said coming up behind her.

Pan looked at him and frowned. "I suppose you can fly because you're an alien."

"I'm not an alien, I was born and raised right here on good ole' planet earth same as you. And I know plenty of humans that can fly, your mom included." Trunks said happy that she had stopped hitting him.

Pan's eyes widened slightly at this news. "I don't understand. My mom didn't mention any thing like that."

Trunks grinned wryly, "Well maybe she didn't get a chance. Why don't you sit down it's going to be a long story."

| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Gohan sighed. "Vegeta has it in his mind that Trunks started to bond with Pan when she was an infant. Silly huh?" Gohan said scratching the back of his neck.

Videl frowned slightly as she thought about this. The age difference was great but maybe that didn't matter, after all Saiyans aged differently than humans. Maybe there was a connection between them. She recalled one afternoon long ago when she was trying to get Pan down for a nap. Bulma and Trunks had stopped by to visit. Pan was having a screaming tantrum as Videl tried to lay her down in the crib. Videl remembered that Trunks couldn't stand to hear her cry. So he had come into the room and picked her up. Pan had immediately quieted down and soon had fallen asleep in Trunks arms. Videl had tried to take her from him so that she could lay her back in the crib but Pan had wrapped her little tail around his arm and he refused to let her go. He sat on the couch holding her to him until she woke up.

Videl slowly looked up at her husband. "I don't know Gohan. Maybe he's right." she said softly.