A/N: I was boredly youtubing today and looked up a video of Trunks' japanese voice and OMG I had an ear orgasm. Just thought I'd share. Thank you for the reviews, I'm so happy to hear you enjoy this story after 30 chapters haha. It's kind of like an ongoing soap. It's a good pastime for me so I just write to my heart's content. Thanks guys!

:*: Cloud on the Horizon :*:

Videl was discharged home two days after being admitted to the hospital. The MRI revealed an enlargement of the tumor as the doctor had suspected. After consultation with the oncology doctor, her treatment was so far successful in stopping the cancer from spreading throughout the body, however to slow the growth they decided to increase the dosage of her chemo treatments.

To see her mother at home the following days was a gift. Pan didn't know when she'd come home or wake up to see her mother unconscious again, and frankly it scared the hell out of her. As Bulma had mentioned, her father was working six days a week for nearly twelve hours a day. She never asked him about their financial standing. That would hurt his pride far too much. He was overworked and tired, that she could tell from his eyes.

Bra, Pan, and Marron headed downtown for some college shopping. On the list was laundry baskets, school supplies, and other random dorm junk they could find in the department stores. The girls submitted their request to share a suite together and were eagerly awaiting the results of their dormitory status.

"I can't believe training starts up in two days. And from seven in the morning til noon, I'm going to oversleep and totally fuck up my cheer season." Marron whined, eyeballing the sports bras.

"How does this training thing work? Who's all going?" Bra asked, rubbing the material of the bras.

"Obviously you didn't read the packet." Pan mockingly scolded her. "Anyone who's playing a sport throughout the year has to attend the conditioning camp. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays the entire month before school starts. Marron you're going out for cheer, what're you going to play, Bra?"

"For the fall season probably soft ball. And you?"

"Water polo, duh. Goten's having a throwback tonight, are you guys going?"

"Yeah, you're not?" Marron asked.

Pan shook her head no.

"Pan, you haven't drank with us all summer. It's the last hoorah before this training camp starts up, come on."

"Bra, you know why. I don't want to leave my mom to go drinking, I'd think that at least you would understand that." She didn't mean to snap at her, she's been on edge lately. Due to her sore breasts she attributed it to her period that was a couple weeks late. She had one the previous month but it was very light and lasted maybe two days.

Bra said nothing. She empathized with her friend, but just wish she would lighten up and enjoy their time before school more.

"Sorry, Bra, I didn't mean to-"

"No, it's fine, I get it."

The silence seemed to breed the tension in the air like rabbits.

Marron definitely felt it and tried to think of something to talk about. "We should get these black shorts, with these sports bras but in different colors. It'll be cute. We'll be matching but in different colors."

"Dibs on green." Pan snatched it from the rack, along with purple and black.

After loading their purchases into the trunk of Bra's car, the girls piled in. "My mom's making us dinner, you girls wanna come over?"

Marron agreed to it, but Pan hesitated. She hadn't seen Bulma since their 'talk' two weeks ago, and frankly she didn't want to see her. She felt as if Bulma saw her as a nuisance or a 'distraction' in Trunks' life. Maybe that's not what she meant, but that's how Pan perceived it. She knew she was thinking irrationally, but once again, these hormones were not giving up.

"No thanks. Gotta make dinner for my parents." She lied.

The girls helped Pan carry her bags into the house and said hello and goodbye to her parents. Videl already had dinner made and invited them to stay but let them go when they politely informed her that Bulma had cooked for them. Pan let out a big yawn once she sat at the dinner table. She was very tired, which was nothing new these past few weeks.

"Honey, you're sleeping an awful lot. Good think you're starting that sports camp soon, you're getting lazy." Videl teased.

"I'm getting grumpier too. A workout will do me some good."

xXxXxXx

It was Saturday night, and Goten was in party host mode, making sure everyone had a drink and always had a smile on their face. He was the guy everyone loved to be around. Everything he said or did was hilarious so people always loved to watch what he'd do next.
"Uh-oh, freshman are here!" He announced as a familiar blue haired and blonde beauty entered the house. "Hey ladies, welcome to your hazing party."

The girls stopped dead in their tracks, a dreaded look on their face.

"I'm kidding! Jesus, someone get these two a drink!"

Marron was suddenly grateful that she and Bra had decided on a cute blouse and jeans rather than dresses for tonight's event. Everyone was dressed cute and casual, just how they liked it. The girls drew immediate attention from the males at the party. Many of them joined them in their first round of shots, followed by introducing themselves and welcoming them to Nagoya.

"You two are freshman? Well, hey, if anyone messes with you just hit me up, I'll take care of them." An attractive brunette with short brown hair introduced himself as Brody.

"Sorry, Brody, the position of body guard has already been taken." Goten slung an arm over his shoulder. "Shots!"

Goten sent a drunken picture of him, Bra, and Marron to Trunks. According to his world clock app it was about eight am in the states. He missed his best friend/ roommate/ drinking mate, but that's life, he told himself.

"Braaaa, I miss your brother." He pulled her into a hug, pouting his lip.

"You miss my brother? At least you got to say bye to him, that bastard left without seeing me!"

Goten thought back to that morning. That was the morning after the girls' graduation party so her and Marron were passed out upstairs. "Well, that's you fault for drinking too much. Here." He put another shot in her hand.

She laughed heartily at his hypocritical act and downed the shot happily. She loved being around Goten. Everything seemed so happy and at ease with him. "You're wearing that same shirt from our graduation party." She pointed out the black button up rolled neatly to his elbows.

"And you are checking me out again."

"Again? What do you mean- and no I was not checking you out!" She lied.

His lips curved into a teasing smirk. "You were checking me out over a month ago at that graduation party, multiple times that night I'd like to point out, and now you're doing it again even as I speak."

She darted her eyes away from his soft pink lips that she had been watching during his lecture. "Goten, you have lost your m-m..." She felt her body go numb as he caressed her jaw line with one gentle stroke.

She didn't like the look she saw in his eyes as he drew his hand away. It was a pained expression. Before she knew it, he was walking away.

Goten followed the sound of cheering into the kitchen to find Marron slamming down an empty red cup with Brody on the other end, probably finishing a drinking challenge.

She staggered over to him, trying to comb her blonde hair from her face. "Goten, I don't feel well." She gripped onto his shoulders for support, trying to hold eye contact through the blurred vision.

"Come on, you need to throw up." He curled an arm around her waist for support and led her to the bathroom, holding her hair while she purged the alcohol.

After a good amount was flushed down the toilet, Marron leaned against the tub and eyed the man next to her. "Goten, I am so, so, sorry. I told myself I wouldn't drink to this point and-"

"Don't even worry about it, I needed a distraction anyways." He smiled his small charming smile. "Feel better?"

She nodded her head. "Now I'm exhausted."

He pulled her up by her hands and led her to a room across the hall. "You can crash here. Need something to sleep in?"

She removed her black framed glasses and stuck them on the nearest nightstand. "I'm too tired to care." She smiled, her head spinning as she closed her eyes against Goten's pillow.

Bra mingled easily with the people in the house. The females didn't take much interest in getting to know her since they were juniors and seniors and she was just a freshman . The men were good company though. She couldn't remember much about what her and this blonde guy were talking about. He was flirting, that she could tell by him touching her hair. Her memory was shot right now.

"Having a good time?" Goten approached the two, patting the male on the shoulder in a friendly manner.

"Yeah, I was tellin your friend how pretty she is. Please, tell me you're single."

Bra was at a loss for words. Her blue orbs immediately met with Goten's, unsure as to how to answer the question. She was fed up with his stupid smile, the way he always made everything into a joke. One moment can be a serious life changing event and the next thing you know he runs away. "That's a good question. Sometimes, this guy in my presence makes me feel like he can give me the world, then he turns around and makes me feel like I'm no better than the dirt that's on it." She looked back over to Goten with narrowed eyes and walked away, now looking for Marron.

She didn't have a plan. She couldn't drive home, and she sure didn't want to stay here now that she sort of spilled the beans about her crush on Goten.

She found safety in her brothers' room, closing the door behind her. She stared herself down in the mirror, racking her mind to figure out what was wrong with her or why Goten wouldn't make a move. Sure, she wasn't the smartest person and she was sort of high maintenance, but she really liked him. Her parents had always given her anything she wanted, but the one thing she wanted right now money couldn't buy.

xXxXxXx

Once the majority of the guests left, leaving the more severe cases passed out in the living room, Goten stood in the hallway, contemplating on his next move. To the right was Trunks' room where Bra was. She was upset with him, and he knew why. He always had an idea that Bra had a thing for him, but he preferred to play the dumb role and not confront it. The thought of being with her scared the hell out of him. What could he offer a girl who has everything?

Being the coward he was, he chose to go the safe route and entered the door to his left.

"Hey," He whispered, slapping the sleeping blonde's butt to wake her up. "Scoot over."

She groaned and rolled over as told. Goten slipped off his clothes in exchange for a pair of pajama pants and nestled underneath his blanket. Marron sat up to go underneath as well since she fell asleep on top. She rolled to her stomach and faced him, barely seeing his outline with the light provided by outdoor lamp posts.

"Party's over?"

"Yeah. Three am, not too bad."

"Yuck, you smell like beer."

"Sorry I don't throw up my beer, I take it like a man." He teased, receiving a pinch on the arm.

"Goodnight, Goten." She laughed. She felt his arm curl around her torso as he pulled himself closer.

"Goodnight." He liked having this comfort with a female. Feeling their warmth against him, he was a sucker for cuddling, especially when intoxicated. He understood his friendship boundaries though and left it just at that.

Bra awoke the next morning completely disoriented. If not by the pictures of Trunks and Pan on the dresser, it would've taken her longer to figure out where she was. She sat up in her brother's bed, and took a moment to gather herself and recollect the previous night.

One memory that stood out was Goten. How frustrated she was with him, and how much she wanted him. A part of her wanted to straight out ask him, but the other part was scared that it would ruin their friendship. But what was happening to their friendship now? The smallest look he gave her sent chills throughout her body. The bottle she hid her feelings in was bound to burst sooner or later.

She decided she'd do it. At the right time, and the right place, she'd ask him how he felt about her. 'You have to do this, Bra. Get it done and over with. He turns you down, fine, you can move on. That's the worst that could happen.'

She played the scene over in her head while making Trunks' bed. She thought maybe a casual lunch date would be appropriate. Dinner was more suggestive, lunch was in the friend zone, safe. Now, all she had to do was find Marron. She tiptoed through the hall, trying not to waken the sleeping bodies in the living room. They were all males, no blonde was in sight.

'Maybe she fell asleep in Goten's room...' It wasn't unusual for one of them to be in Goten's bed. He was always willing to share and always the gentleman. But still, she couldn't shake off an unnerving feeling. As she stood outside his bedroom door, she prepared herself for what she might see. She eased the door open and slowly peaked her head in.

Bra felt a weight lift from her shoulders after observing that they were in no intimate position. They were both asleep on their stomach in close proximity of each other, but not touching. She crept her way to Marron's side and nudged her gently.

"Marron... Marron, come on, let's go home."

Marron groaned, causing Bra to shake her again. "I'm up, I'm up." She whispered back.

"Leaving already?" The girls saw that their sneakiness failed as Goten released a morning yawn, although Marron didn't know why they were being so hush hush about leaving.

"Yeah. Thanks for the party." Bra moved to the door, waiting for Marron to grab her glasses and shoes.

"See you guys tomorrow morning." He reminded them.

They gulped at the thought of Nagoya's conditioning camp starting the next day.

xXxXxXx

Trunks called Pan earlier that day as usual. He told her about the picture he had received from Goten of him, Bra, and Marron, and wondered why she didn't hang out with them. She didn't want to tell him what happened with her mother, so she just watered down the situation by telling him her mother wasn't feeling well so she stayed home to keep an eye on things, which was true. Her mother was back to her normal self for the most part. The treatments they increased made her throw up more on treatment days and tired her out, but on her non-treatment days she was normal.

"Are you sure you have everything?" Videl asked while pacing throughout her daughter's room. In Pan's mind, she was way too excited to see her prepping her things for her five hour workout the next day.

She went through her mental checklist of water, a pen, and the forms provided in the manila envelope they had sent her. "Yup, looks like the whole gang's here."

"Be sure to pack some tampons, you never know when Aunt flow could come and visit. Lord knows I learned my lesson in high school."

Pan tuned out while her mother elaborated on her embarrassing high school moment. 'Speaking of tampons, I'm overdue on my period..' She felt herself go pale at the thought that crossed her mind. 'I'm not... I couldn't be... I had a period after he left... It was light but that still counts, doesn't it? I'm only one or two weeks late.'

"Pan... Pan, are you alright? You look like you saw a ghost. Actually, you look like a ghost."

"Yeah, I'm fine... I'm going to lay down, I'm not feeling too well. Must be nervous about tomorrow." Videl kissed her goodnight while she made her way to her bed. She stared into the darkness of her room, thinking back to everything that happened the past six weeks. The nausea, tiredness, mood swings, it was all caused by the stress of her mother and Trunks being gone. That's all. She wasn't pregnant, she repeated over and over to herself. She got another painful reminder as she rolled to her side, the bed pushing on her sore breasts. "They're sore because you're about to start, Pan." She scolded herself.

A/N: Just curious, anybody have a Bra or Marron preference? I already have an idea of who he'll be with but just curious.

Also, are any of you Bleach fans? I like using their characters as small roles in this story so wasn't sure how many of you were familiar with the anime. Thanks for reading.

PSS: I picked up an extra shift at work tomorrow so some positive messages are greatly appreciated :D I love talking to new people so feel free to PM me if you're bored ^_^