A/N: I had such a fantastic Tuesday the 13th, I figured I'd celebrate by writing this chapter. Glad to get this one out there ;)

Thank you for reading! Reviews are very motivating and empowering, makes my days even better :D

:*: When it Rains, it Pours :*:

"Son! Takuma! Out of the pool!"

Pan and her teammate were called from the pool in the midst of their scrimmage. It wasn't an easy week for Pan, and tonight may have been the final straw. The team had met up every day since Monday for practice. It was Tuesday that Pan began to struggle. Her body in her tight swimsuit was different from before, her abdomen to be more specific. It was today, Friday, that she gave her body a look over in the locker room before practice. She felt bloated, as she has the past couple weeks, but she looked bloated as well. Just above her pelvic bone was a small bump. She tried telling herself it was just from her eating out too much, but after a couple days of practice passed she found herself becoming more and more defensive of it. Whenever someone swam around her she'd swim away, afraid that they might accidentally kick her stomach. It was an instinctual reaction, one that was costing her her spot on the team.

Today's incident caused her to be removed from the pool for the remainder of practice.

"What the hell is going on in there? You can't put your hands on another player, Son!" The coach yelled.

Pan just stood there and took it. She knew what she did was wrong, but she didn't do it purposely, it was instinct.

Kokoro Takuma, a sophomore teammate, glared at Pan while the coach did the talking. During the scrimmage she caught the ball in front of Pan, then went to kick off, her leg being gripped by two hands and pushed away. Had Pan not caught her leg, she would have been kicked.

"Son, you're benched. Takuma, back in the water."

After practice, Pan and the coach had the dreaded one on one talk. How was she going to explain this one?

"Son, I've seen you play, especially at the Tokyo tournament last year. I'm the one that selected you for the sports scholarship. What I'm seeing out there is not what I picked last year. What's going on?"

If she was trying to sound compassionate, she was doing a poor job. Pan didn't know what to say. The last thing she wanted to tell her was Well coach, I think I'm pregnant. Right now, all she wanted to do was cry. She knew these damn emotions of hers were abnormal. Along with the lack of menstruation and not to mention the abdominal changes, she had trouble denying it anymore.

"Coach, I'm sorry," she spoke softly, "but you're not the only person I let down. There's something I need to do. Can we talk on Monday before practice?"

The coach's flustered expression fluctuated between confusion and concern. "Sure. You know where my office is."

xXxXxXx

Bra and Marron met with Ryo and other Emerald dorm roommates for their first movie night. To celebrate the end of their first week of school, Ryo, with Marron, Bra, and Pan's assistance, got the word out to have a movie night, and what a success it was. The couches were pushed back to make room for everyone's blankets and pillows in front of the large television set in the common room.

Since Pan still had not returned from polo practice, the three sat together on the floor with their blankets and pillows underneath them.

With it being the first week of school, Bra was beginning to think that this was going to be a difficult semester. She had three essays due on Monday that had to be a minimum of four pages each. Had she started on one yet? She meant to, but whenever she opened her laptop, there were so many new arrivals on various clothing sites for her to order. She began to hate herself for being so unfocused. Ryo showed up just in time to pull her laptop away from her and place it on her desk. "Tonight is movie night. Put those worried eyes away until tomorrow morning, then you and I can produce some essays. I've got three to do too." And with that, he took her hand in his and dragged her downstairs for their celebratory evening.

A half hour into the horror film the group was watching, Pan finally entered the large glass entrance of the dormitory. She payed no mind to all the people in the room and continued to make her way to the stairs. Once she neared the top she heard steps behind her. "Hi, Pan! How was prac- what's wrong?" Bra could tell her friend was not in a good mood. She didn't turn around to look at her, just kept walking to their room. "Pan, please, what happened?"

Pan silently dropped her bags to her bed and went into the bathroom, locking the door behind her. Bra didn't know what to do. After a moment, she stepped in front of the door and knocked gently.

"Pan, I'll be right here if you need-"

"Go watch the movie, Bra. I'll meet you down after I get ready." She lied, but it was enough to make Bra go away, for now.

On her way out the door, Bra turned back at the sound of her phone buzzing. "Goten?" Her pace quickened to her phone to answer it before it sent him to voicemail. "Hello?"

"Hey, do you have a minute?"

"Um, yeah, what's up?"

"Can you come outside?"

"Sure, I'll be right out." Bra checked herself out in her mirror, wondering if her black shorts and dark blue cami top were decent for such a proposal. She didn't even know what he wanted to talk about, so how was she supposed to know what to wear? She hadn't talked to Goten since their run-in lunch on Monday. She saw him at football practice from a distance while she was at her tennis meets, but that was all.

Frustrated with her conflicting voices in her head, she left the room with her current apparel and tiptoed her way out of the dorm building. There he was, standing in the dim spotlight in his dark wash jeans and black snugly fit t-shirt. If it wasn't for the fact that she'd die from embarrassment, she would have melted into a puddle right then and there.

"Hey..." He greeted her shyly, taking a couple steps towards her while she did the same.

"Hi, is everything okay?"

"First off, I just wanted to apologize for being, as Renji puts it, a dick the other day. I would have come sooner to apologize but football and schoolwork, you know..."

Bra was fighting the large grin on her face, finally managing to reduce it to a casual smile. "I know, I know. Thanks for the apology, I'm sure Ryo would appreciate it."

"Is he here?"

"Yeah, but we're having a movie night so he's kinda occupied."

"That explains the pajamas then." He eyed her up and down, briefly assessing her apparel. "Secondly, have you seen Pan tonight?"

Bra's smile faded to a more serious look. Maybe he could give her some answers as to why Pan was in a bad mood. "Yeah, she just got in right before you called, do you know what happened?"

Goten frowned. "We saw her after we got out of practice which is around the same time she got out. She didn't want to talk about it. Last I saw her she was going towards the parking lot."

Bra sighed. "I'll see what I can get from her. She's not one to open up. I feel like I'm prying open a locked chest with a crowbar sometimes."

"Thanks, Bra. And the last thing I wanted to ask, do you... Do you want to grab something to eat tomorrow?"

Had she melted, she would have vaporized to the sky at that moment. 'Okay, Bra, this is it! Oh my gosh, is he asking me on a date? Wait wait wait, if it's lunch it's just a friendly date, if it's dinner then it's a real date!'

"I-"

"Oh, hey," Goten and Bra turned toward the entrance of the building to see Ryo standing in the entrance way. "I saw you sneak out, just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Hey, Ryo right?" Goten asked, inviting him into the conversation.

Ryo hesitantly approached them. "Yeah. Goten, the junior football player, right?"

Goten chuckled. "Yup. Listen, sorry for being such a jerk last time." He extended his hand for a manly hand slap session, but Ryo didn't know what to do with it. Instead he shook his hand and laughed, knowing he didn't know what he was doing.

"No problem. I know you're just looking out for your girl here. Growing up together you two must be awfully close. I'll leave you two alone." He patted them both on the shoulder, leaving them in their blushing states.

"S-so, food, to eat, tomorrow, right?" Bra attempted to break the awkward silence.

"If you're free."

"Of course!" She exclaimed more eagerly than she had liked, mentally banging her head into a wall for sounding so stupid.

"Cool. I'll come by around seven."

'Dinner!' "Great, I'll see you tomorrow." Her red lips gave him a full glimpse of her beautiful white teeth, causing him to grin in return.

"Go back inside, you're missing your movie."

"Goodnight, Goten." She knew she'd be kicking herself in the ass if she let him leave without at least a hug.

Reading her body language, he stepped in and pulled her into him. "Thanks for keeping an eye out for Pan. I know she puts up a tough front but if she keeps that up she's just gonna shatter one of these days."

"I'll do my best." She promised him as they pulled apart. He waved two fingers goodbye to her as he turned away to make his departure.

"He looks good walking away doesn't he." Bra turned to see Ryo walking to her side.

She laughed along with him. "Were you spying on us, Mr. Shima?"

He shrugged. "If pressing my face to the glass door is spying, then I'm guilty. So? What happened?"

Bra wasn't sure how she should report the news to him. She thought that maybe Ryo had a thing for her, but he was acting so happy for her right now. Maybe he was just putting up a front. But earlier, he did help her out when he interrupted them.

"We are having dinner tomorrow night." Bra announced with as small of a smile as she could manage.

Ryo's eyes widened. "Damn girl, congratulations! My little Bra is finally going on a date." He slung an arm around her shoulders as he walked them back to the dormitory.

After seeing that Pan still hadn't made it down, Bra whispered to Ryo that she was going upstairs to check on her.

Upon entering, Bra tapped on the door to their room and opened it quietly, in case she was asleep. Instead, she found her at the far end of the room, sitting on the floor with her legs pulled into her chest, sobbing.

"Pan, what happened?" Bra closed the door behind her and ran to her, dropping to her knees in front of her.

Pan didn't speak. She gained control of her tears, left with only some sniffling.

"What happened today?" Her eyes looked distant, like she had lost her hold on the present. Her dark orbs drifted about as if she didn't hear a word her friend was saying. "Pan, please you're freaking me out."

Still nothing. Finally, Pan's floating eyes met with Bra's, then closed as her body slumped to the side. "Pan?" Bra caught her from falling over. "Pan!" She lightly slapped her face, but no response.

Bra ran to her phone and dialed the only person she could think of. "Goten! It's Pan, she fainted, we need to take her to a hospital!"

Goten hadn't gotten far when he received the call. He flipped a u-turn and sped back to the university. Meanwhile, Bra straightened her out and held her head in her lap, stroking the hair from her swollen eyes.

Goten ran through the glass doors, causing everyone in the living room to give him their full attention. "Where's Pan's room?"

"Up there, what's going-" Marron stood up, only to be dragged by him.

"No time for questions, show me the way." Marron did as told, Ryo followed from behind.

After bursting through the door, Goten dropped to the two females on the floor and did a quick assessment to make sure she was breathing and her heart was beating. He scooped her up in his arms and headed out the door.

"Bra what happened?"

Bra ran out the door behind him. "I'll call you later, Marron."

Bra sat in the backseat of Goten's truck with Pan's head in her lap. She told him what she observed and how she just passed out, but that was all she knew.

It wasn't long after carrying her into the emergency room that they got help. After the nurses set her up in a bed, all they could do was sit at her bedside and play the waiting game.

Bra felt naked being dressed in a spaghetti strap and pajama shorts. She cursed herself for not thinking to dress in something more appropriate.

Goten stepped out to go to his truck for a minute and returned with a jacket for her. She thanked him and slid it on, enjoying his after-scent the jacket emitted.

"I don't know whether to call Gohan or not... I don't want to worry them, but what if something's actually wrong? I mean obviously there is something wrong for her to knock out like that."

He was worried, that Bra could tell and wished she could help him, but she was concerned too. "Maybe we should see what the doctors say, that way you can give a full report to your brother rather than making him sit at home worrying." She suggested.

Goten nodded in agreement. "Yeah, sounds good."

A couple hours passed before a doctor entered the room with some useful information. "Hi, I'm Dr. Hida. We just got back some blood work for Miss Son here. Her and the baby are fine, just dehydrated. Earlier you mentioned that she had just started school here at the university, she plays sports, and she has a mother at home with cancer, correct?"

After not receiving an answer, the doctor looked up from his clipboard to see two jaws dropped to the floor. "Do you have a question?"

The two slowly turned towards each other and back to the doctor. "B... Baby?" Bra stuttered.

The doctor stopped breathing. "Ah, I see. College student, hidden pregnancy. That would explain the visit here tonight. The nurse will be doing an ultrasound to check the abdomen to verify the elevated HCG levels in the blood." Without another word, the doctor left the room and motioned a nurse over with the ultrasound machine.

"Hi, I'm Rina, I'm going to need a few minutes to do an ultrasound. Will you two be sitting in or would you like to step out?"

"We'll stay." Bra answered while Goten was still lost in his head.

They watched quietly as the nurse rolled the sheets down to the pelvic area and squirt the jelly onto the lower abdomen. After rolling the transducer probe around the lower abdomen, there it was.

"Holy Jesus..." Goten slowly uttered louder than he thought.

Bra felt like she was going to cry. There it was, clear as day, a baby in her best friend's stomach. "How far along is she?" Bra asked, holding her sleeping friend's hand.

The nurse eyed them with confusion. "You mean, she didn't tell you?"

Bra shook her head side to side.

"Well, the cat's out of the bag now. From the looks of it she's a couple months in. Based on the size and appearance, maybe three months. Baby's healthy, that's good. From the sounds of it, the physical and emotional toll her body has endured, as well as the dehydration, caused her to faint. I'll go ahead and make a printout of the baby's picture and add it to her discharge forms. She should wake up within the next hour. Looks like you three have some catching up to do."

Silence swallowed the room once again after the nurse left.

"You didn't know about this?" Goten finally spoke, his eyes fixated on his clasped hands in his lap.

"No, not a word. Oh God... This is... This is-"

"A nightmare." Goten finished.

Her eyes fixed onto him. "No, not a nightmare. It's definitely out of the norm but it's not a nightmare, Goten. I'm going to be an aunt!"

"What the fuck is wrong with him." He was talking to himself, clearly angered by the situation.

"Who, Goten?"

"You're fucking brother, that's who!" He stood up from his chair, pacing the room. "He knocked up my eighteen year old niece, now what? He's off in the US while she's here hiding this shit to herself, stressing herself out so much that she gets admitted into the hospital! Holy shit what is she going to do? My brother is going to kill your brother if I don't first." The door slammed behind him.

Bra could only sit there in fear. Goten was angry, she didn't like this side of him. She picked up Pan's hand and kissed it, then rubbed her belly. "It's okay. We'll get through this. Daddy will be back in three months. Hopefully he'll live to see the birth..." She mumbled the last part as if the baby could actually comprehend what she was saying. "Wait... Trunks..." She ran out of the room, hoping Goten wasn't trying to call him. He wasn't in the lobby or around the exit, so she ran to his truck.

He was sitting on his tailgate, taking a drag of a cigarette. "You smoke?" She asked, relieved to not see his phone out.

He took another puff and stared at her as he exhaled.

"I know you're angry... furious may be a better word, but for Pan's sake, let's try to hold it together. Making a scene like that will not help. You can't tell Gohan. You can't tell Trunks. She didn't even tell us, so it sure as hell is not our place to tell anybody. We are all she has, Goten. Me and You."

xXxXxXx

As the nurse had estimated, Pan came to about twenty minutes after they returned to her room. Her eyes drifted about the room and landed on the two people beside her, her face emotionless.

"Hi, Pan." Bra grinned, glad to see she had awoken. "How do you feel?"

"Where am I?" She looked at the IV in her hand.

"You fainted in the dorm room so we brought you to the hospital. Everything's okay though."

Pan took a moment to absorb everything. Her eyes began to water as she remembered what had triggered the incident. "What did the doctor say?" She wanted to make sure they didn't find out about her pregnancy.

"He said you were dehydrated and fainted." Goten answered.

Bra thought they could stick with that answer, but if they continue acting like they don't know anything, how much longer was Pan going to keep this to herself, and stress about it without talking to anybody? "Pan, between the stress of school, things at home, sports, and the baby, he says you may have overwhelmed yourself."

Pan's hand went to rub her eyes as she sniffled. "You found out?"

Goten and Bra nodded. "But now you're not alone. Bra and I aren't going to tell anybody. We're here for you." Bra rubbed his back as he took the words right out of her mouth.

It took Pan a while to collect her thoughts and regain her composure. After receiving her discharge papers, the three headed out to go back home. "Do you want to stay at my place tonight, Pan?" Goten offered, figuring she'd want to avoid the hassle of all her roommates.

She figured since there was no school the next day that could be a good idea. They went back to the dorm to grab a couple things, then her and Bra headed out, politely ignoring the bombarding questions and stares. Pan invited Bra to stay with her. She needed her now more than ever. After a shower, Pan sat with Bra in Trunks' bed, talking about her symptoms and denial.

"Is this where he or she was conceived?" Bra asked jokingly.

Pan cracked a smile. "Yup. Virginity and pregnancy, two birds with one stone."

"Pan, only you would get pregnant on your first time." They laughed.

As Pan talked to Bra about everything, an enormous weight gradually lifted from her shoulders. She was able to joke about it, that was a start.

"After practice, I went to get a pregnancy test from the store. That's why I went to the bathroom when I got back. When it said positive, I felt like I couldn't breathe. It was like I was living a nightmare... Oh god..." She sunk her head into her hands.

Goten knocked on the door and entered the room. "You girls need anything?" He sat at the foot of the bed and rubbed his sulking niece's back.

"I can't play sports this year. I'm going to lose my scholarship. Dad can't pay for my school, I'll have to drop out. I can't go back home, I can't let my parents see me like this. It would humiliate them. And the stress that they're already under, let's throw a knocked up daughter on the list too."

"Pan, do you want to call Trunks?" Goten suggested.

"No." She answered without hesitation, her face lifting to meet his. "Don't you say a word about this to anybody Goten, especially him."

"Fine. Just sleep on it for tonight. We'll figure something out tomorrow after you get some rest. I'll be in my room. Let me know if you need anything."

Pan didn't want to see the ultrasound pictures. She wasn't ready. Her and Bra tucked themselves into Trunks' large bed, his smell overwhelming her senses. She missed him, more then he'd ever know, especially now that a part of him was growing inside her.