The PV Affair
Chapter 7
I roused, still sleepy. I half lifted my head, but lazily slumped back down on the soft pillows. I stretched my arm absently, trying to find Vegeta. I snuggled closer in the bed, but found the other side cold. I groaned with irritation. "Vegeta?" I called. I held the covers around me, and sat up. Ah. He'd left to train, hadn't he? I remembered. I rubbed one of my eyes sleepily.
Gohan was leant against the wall at the opposite end of the room, watching me. I leapt back with shock. I shrieked loudly, clutching the covers tighter around me. My father narrowed his eyes at me, tight lipped. "D…Dad?" I stuttered. "Wh…what are you doing here?"
My heart pounded in my chest as he spoke. "What are you doing in Vegeta's bed?" He asked me coldly.
I looked away from him, and absently at the duvet. I was scared… "I…I…" I mumbled. It was finally happening. I was going to pay for what I'd done.
"Don't play around with me Pan!" Gohan growled. "I saw you with him. And I saw the shower! How both of you were soaking wet. Are you sleeping with him?"
My eyes widened with fear at the confrontation. "I…"
"Are you?" he demanded.
I nodded, wincing.
I saw his entire face change, from disbelief to anger, then to a look of incredible disappointment. "How could you do this Pan? It's Vegeta, for Dende's sake! Vegeta!" He strode towards the bed, grabbing my wrist. "I can't believe my daughter would go this low." He hissed angrily. "I thought you would have much more respect. He's married Pan. Do you know what that even means?"
I nodded fearfully, afraid of his reactions.
He let go of my wrist with frustration, running his hand through his hair. "I can't believe you would do this… You're young, too young!" He snapped. "How could you do this to Bulma? You slept with her husband! How could you be this stupid?"
"I… I don't know…" I supplied pathetically.
His dark gaze flickered back to me, glaring. "I'm so ashamed of you… You're 17, and already someone's whore." He said venomously. "Especially Vegeta's! How long has this been going on? How many times?" He demanded.
I found myself looking directly in his face. But I stayed silent, keeping my head held high in defiance. "That's my concern, not yours." I answered.
Gohan paused, before laughing eerily. "Your concern?"
I kept my face emotionless. I was past the point of being scared. I had to be strong here.
Gohan growled, and caught my jaw in his hand. "How long?"
"…Ever since Bulma's party." I answered. His grip on my jaw loosened with shock.
"The...party?" he stuttered. " He's too old for you… and married! Can't you see that? Are you that naïve…? You didn't know him! He came to earth to kill us! He wanted to kill my father, your grandpa! Do you know how much blood he's spilt with no remorse? He's a monster, Pan! And you slept with him! Slept with a killer! I thought I'd brought you up better than this…"
"I love him."
I'd interrupted him mid speech. He froze, trying to register what he had heard. He shook his head, as if in a trance. "No…no…" he repeated. He took me by surprise when he turned on me. "Is that your excuse? You're 17, you don't know what love is! Do you think he loves you back?" he sneered at me. "Do you think he cares for you so much he'd leave Bulma? You're not just naïve, you're stupid! You're nothing but a one night stand to him, do you understand me?" he was shaking as he yelled. He stood up, walking to where my clothes were on the floor in a heap. He picked them up and threw them at me. They hit me in the face. "Get dressed!" He ordered. I took my underwear, putting them on as he turned his back to give me privacy. I stood up, pulling my dress over my head. I felt dizzy and numb, as though it wasn't really me in this body. I felt like an empty shell.
He turned back to me when he realised I was finished dressing. Nothing about his stern face had softened. I imagined what it would have been like if I could turn back the clock and make none of this even happen. He would be smiling and laughing. Ruffling my hair and calling me his little princess. I almost smiled at the warmth of my imagining. Escaping with my mind…
But it felt empty. I would never feel what I felt now, inside of me. I would never feel this love I felt. I slowly brushed my hand up to my chest, in deep thought. The corner of my mouth tugged into a weak smile. This was what couldn't be destroyed, ever.
Before I realized what was happening, my father had grabbed me by my wrist. He literally dragged me out of the room. I began to feel afraid as we strode down the stairs, and towards the front door.
"Gohan, is everything okay?" I heard the soft voice of my mother.
We turned to see her. Gohan smiled weakly. "Pan feels ill." He lied. I looked up at him with shock. "I'm taking her home to rest."
Videl looked anxious. "Is she okay? Do you want me to come? I can get my coat…" She moved to fetch it.
"No, you stay and enjoy the party." Gohan said in a sweet voice. I still stared at him. Was that his game? His plan? He wasn't going to let anyone find out!
"If you're sure…" Videl said tentatively. She walked forward to lightly kiss my forehead, looking at me lovingly, and at that moment, I felt the strong bond between mother and child between us… and it made me smile. Gohan sharply pulled on my wrist. He kissed Videl lightly, and led me outside. I shook my wrist free and glared at him.
"You're ashamed, aren't you?" I accused him.
"I have every right to be… of my own daughter." He supplied back. He opened the passenger car door. "Get in the car." He commanded.
"You're going to pretend nothing happened here, aren't you?"
Gohan took a breath, as if composing himself. "Who do you want me to tell first out of our friends and family, that my daughter is having sex with Vegeta…?" he said icily. "In the car!" he barked. This time I stepped in, and he slammed the car door shut. He didn't say anything on the long drive home. He looked at me with an angered despair every few minutes, then sighed, focusing on the road.
When we arrived home, I got out of the car, going inside first. I walked silently upstairs to my room, sitting down on my bed. Gohan followed me up, standing before me in my room. I sat nervously and silently on my bed as though I was in a strange home not my own. He kept his arms crossed across his chest, staring at me without saying a word.
What was going through his mind at the moment? That his precious little girl had grown up? That she was having a sexual relationship with such an experienced and unpredictable man? From these moments on, something had definitely changed between us, that was never going to be the same again.
The love was still there. Although I had lost his trust and perhaps his respect, the love between us was overwhelming. I gazed into his kind eyes, blinded by confusion and anger, and saw my father. I felt like a small child, my hands folded nervously in my lap under the stern glare. He must be so disappointed in me… I wondered how badly he was taking this. Not just the circumstances, but the situation. His little girl having physical relationships now. Beyond the anger, was he feeling anything else? Resentment? Sentimentality…?
"You're ashamed of me, aren't you?" I whispered. I saw his face change. "Ashamed of what I've done with him."
Suddenly the sound of my phone ringing broke the silence. My phone wasn't private, but connected to the house line. I looked at the ringing phone, then at my father. Without a word, he moved to lift the receiver. "Hello?"
"Gohan?" Bulma's voice was just loud enough for me to hear from where I was sitting. Gohan glanced his eyes at me, before giving his full attention to Bulma. "Bra told me you'd left the party?"
"Pan felt ill." Gohan replied tonelessly. I had the feeling it was something that would be repeated many times in the future in that same cold monotone.
"Really? I hope she's ok." Bulma said. "Listen, I thought it was a fun tonight. I arranged a get together for tomorrow night. Sound good?"
Gohan paused. "She's really not feeling too good…"
"She's a Saiyan! Vegeta and the kids are always telling me how they never get sick! Don't worry, Bra and Trunks always get over it after a nights rest. I swear, it's amazing! So you'll be there?" Bulma prompted craftily. "I won't take no for an answer, Son Gohan!"
"What time?" My father asked with reluctance.
"Is around 7 ok with you? Listen, I'll have to go. See ya!" The phone cut off at the other end, and Gohan put the phone down, pausing. He turned to me with more purpose this time.
He stepped towards me. "We'll go to this party, but I want to make one thing clear. 'This'…" he said that word venomously. "'This' is over! You so much as go near Vegeta, and I'll…" He swallowed. "You'll stay here. Is that understood?" he said commanded coldly. "You will not leave this room." He closed the door after him.
It took me such a long time to move after that. I sat there, barely registering anything. I stood up, changing softly into my nightie, crawling under the crisp sheets. I looked up through my bedroom window until I fell asleep.
I awoke in the morning to the soft morning sunshine. I sat up slowly in bed, to find a tray on my bedside table with my breakfast on. I looked at my clock. It was just before noon. I must have slept heavily. I picked at the breakfast, like a prisoner in my own home. I stayed in my room all day. Staying true to Gohan's warning, I didn't leave the confines of the room. The only time I saw him was when he brought my lunch up to me. Even then he didn't utter a word to me. Not one.
As the sun began to sink lower in the sky, I thought about Vegeta. In the solitude of my mind, I began to dream. In a way, I was already free. You couldn't lock up someone's dreams. There was no way to hold them down, I was free, my mind had already escaped into the bright sunlight.
It was late in the day when my door next opened. I glanced at Gohan as he came in, but then returned my gaze wistfully out the window. "You'll have to get ready." He said to me. "Before you get any ideas in your head…" He leaned close to me. "Nothing low cut. Nothing short or anything provocative! Understand?"
I nodded. Suddenly, Mom appeared behind him. She smiled warmly. "How are you feeling sweetie?" She asked. "I hope such a long rest has done you good. You look a lot better." She commented. "We'll be leaving in an hour, ok? We're taking the car and following your father there. He has to help with some preparations."
Unknown to her, Gohan frowned darkly at this. I realized he must be going on ahead. He would be displeased he couldn't scrutinize my final outfit…
With one last glance, he left the room with Mum. My face remained the same as I turned to face my wardrobes. I opened the door carefully. The corner of my lips curved into a smirk…
--
"Vegeta?" The deafening scream echoed throughout Capsule Corps. "Where are you?" It was early evening, and the Corp was quiet and peaceful. It was empty, other than the Saiyan prince and the raging mad demi Saiyan charging through it.
"VEGETA!!"
Vegeta turned the gravity room back down to 1g, throwing a towel around his neck. His face was in its usual casual frown as he shut the machine down for the afternoon. He was already covered in a fine layer of sweat from his intensive training. For a Saiyan of his power level, breaking a sweat meant it had been a good workout.
The door to the room burst open, and Gohan stormed in. He was wearing smart trousers, a crisp white shirt and his glasses. His face looked murderously angry. Vegeta didn't look fazed at all. The prince strode about his business, dressed in his black training suit and white boots and gloves. He didn't make eye contact with the son of Kakkorrot. Gohan was not in the mood to be ignored. It only angered him more, to see the man who had taken advantage of his daughter like that, taken her innocence and made her some kind of whore… He strode in front of Vegeta and made him take notice.
"How dare you!" Gohan snapped. "How could you even think of doing such a thing? She's 17, Vegeta! 17! You make me sick!"
Vegeta raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"
Gohan frowned. "You know damn well what I mean…" He growled. "I know you've slept with her…"
"You know then?" He mused.
Gohan was for a moment taken aback. "You don't deny it?" he stuttered. "Have you got no shame?"
"I don't think it's any of your business who Pan sleeps with, do you?" Vegeta taunted. "She's a woman, she's old enough to make her own decisions… Act on her Saiyan blood to choose whoever she desires…"
"She's only 17!" Gohan reminded him again. "And you're an adult! I ought to kill you right where you stand!" He seethed, clenching his fists.
Vegeta paused, taking in Gohan's anger. He stepped closer. "She's old enough to be fucked…"
Gohan grabbed Vegeta by the neck in a blind rage, lifting the shorter Saiyan up in the air. "You go near her or touch her again, and I'll tear you apart!"
Vegeta powered up, releasing himself from Gohan's grasp, dodging another blow as Gohan exploded into Super Saiyan.
"My involvement with her is my business!" Vegeta snapped.
"Like hell it is!" Gohan retaliated, launching into his attack.
Vegeta himself powered up, ducking from Gohan's fury of punches. He leapt to Gohan's blind spot, and administered a blow to the side of his jaw. Gohan flew across the room into a wall. Vegeta strode over to him as Gohan struggled to recover, although the blow was half-hearted on Vegeta's part. He looked up shakily as Vegeta pointed his hand in his direction, gathering his ki in golden flames. Even then, Vegeta hesitated.
"Finish me then." Gohan spat. "Add to your dishonour!"
Vegeta powered back down, lowering his hand. "I should have finished you when you were just a boy." He snorted with distaste. "And even now I don't have the heart to put you out of your misery." He noted that Gohan was still powered up. "I'm not going to harm you further!" He barked irritably. "Unless you carry on attacking me senselessly like a fool, I will not finish you just yet."
Gohan shakily got to his feet, glaring murderously at Vegeta. "If you touch her again, I will kill you."
Vegeta growled. "I'm far stronger than you boy." .
Gohan stepped close to Vegeta's face. "I'll find a way." He hissed with contempt. He left the room, slamming the door behind him. Vegeta stood staring at the closed door for a moment. He frowned deeply. … If the damn woman didn't care for her father so much…. He scowled again as he left the scene to take a shower.