Goten finished telling his brother what had happened that day. Gohan's brow furrowed as he thought about it. Goten could almost see the gears turning in his head.
"So, what do you think?" Goten prompted when Gohan hadn't spoken for several moments.
"I think that you have an overactive imagination," Gohan replied.
Goten was surprised at the briskness of the answer, all the more whetting his curiosity. He knew he was on to something. He may not hold a doctorate as his older brother did, but he knew a cover-up when he saw it. It also didn't help that Gohan had no control over his facial features whatsoever. Goten could see he was worried over his only child. He should have taken statue lessons from Vegeta.
"We'll see," Goten said smugly.
Gohan looked sharply at him, but Goten only pasted an angelic look on his face. Before he could pursue the matter further, Videl came in, her arms piled with books. Being the gentleman his mother raised, Gohan got up to help her.
"Oh hi, Goten!" she greeted when the pile had lessened enough for her to see him. "Sorry, but it's only leftovers tonight."
"It's okay," he said. "Mom's invited everyone over to eat."
"Really? Then we better go over there and help her."
There was no arguing with Videl, so Goten and Gohan followed her out the door. The conversation had turned to other matters, and Goten forgot about Pan. But Gohan did not.
Gohan watched as Trunks greeted his daughter with a brotherly pat on the shoulder. Pan could barely conceal her annoyance. It was obvious to Gohan that she'd been expecting more. A kiss perhaps? He watched as Trunks hugged Marron and kissed her cheek. He looked back at Pan and saw her wipe the expression off her face. She looked away, her countenance blank, but her eyes conveyed her pain. Gohan stared at her, his own heart aching for her. He also felt a knot start to form in his stomach.
No, Pan. Please don't let it be true...
Pan knew something was on her father's mind by the intense way he was looking at her. Of course, he had smiled when he realized she was looking right back at him, but not before she had seen how he was regarding her. Her curiosity was piqued. She watched him as he tried not to look at her, and vowed to find out what was going on before the night was through.
Dinner came and went in the same loud, boisterous manner as it usually did. Plates were cleared from the table. The women retreated to the kitchen to clean up while the men went into the living room to play their games.
Pan was caught at a crossroads. She wanted to go play with her father and the others, but tradition said that women go into the kitchen. Sighing, Pan followed Bura through the doorway.
"You won't believe what Vegeta said today," Bulma said, scrubbing a plate with a bit more force than necessary.
Pan grinned at the familiar words. Every time the women gathered to have their talk, Bulma always began with the same statement. The arrogant Saiya-jin prince and his strong-willed wife seemed like the most unlikely couple in the universe, but anyone could see that their relationship was as strong and steady as a rock.
"Want to go for a walk?" Marron asked Pan and Bura.
Bura looked at her mother, Marron's mother, Pan's mother, and grandmother. They were deep in discussion about their husbands' many discrepancies. She grimaced.
"Nothing would make me happier," she replied.
The three younger women excused themselves and shot out the front door. The cool night air was refreshing and the night sounds of the forest was relaxing. Pan took a deep breath and smiled.
"There's no place like home," she sighed.
"I wish I could travel like you," Marron said sulkily. "I'm stuck at home with mom and dad all the time with nothing to do."
"It's not so bad," Bura argued. "I like spending time with the parents. Although with Trunks..."
They laughed. Bura loved her older brother as much as he loved her, but it didn't stop them from bickering.
"We should go on a trip," Marron said. "Just the three of us. Have some downtime without having to submit to all the warrior talk."
Bura nodded her ascent. Although she was half Saiya-jin, she had no wish to fight. Even though she was perfectly capable of doing so, she didn't-much to Bulma's and, shockingly, Vegeta's relief. Marron, being human, had no hidden strengths and her father had not bothered to train her. Pan, on the other hand, loved nothing more than a good fight. She kept her mouth shut.
"So, tell us about your travels, Pan," Bura said, leaning against a tree. She ran a hand through the lavender hair she and Trunks had inherited from their mother's side of the family. Marron settled against a tree stump and looked expectantly up at her friend.
"Well, I met a lot of interesting people. And the places I've seen were just so breathtaking. Greece is a beautiful place filled with ancient ruins and..."
"Did you meet any nice guys?" Marron interrupted.
Pan chuckled. Some things never changed. Bura looked just as interested about the change of topic as Marron was.
"Many nice guys. Europeans, especially Italians, are very romantic people."
"Didn't you spend an extra week in Italy?" Bura inquired.
"Yup."
Marron and Bura giggled. Then, Marron sighed heavily, her sapphire blue eyes sad.
"I broke up with Shin two weeks ago. It just wasn't working out."
"I know he wasn't as exciting as my brother," Bura said slyly.
Marron blushed. Pan was thankful for the darkness for she felt her own cheeks heat. Marron and Trunks had dated for a while back when Marron had been sixteen. It had been brief, but hot and heavy. She remembered seeing them locked in each other's arms and being curious about how it felt to be held that way.
"I don't know why you keep on bringing that up, Bura," Marron complained. "Trunks and I are good friends now."
"I see you looking at him sometimes with those puppy dog eyes," Bura countered. "You can't truthfully tell me you don't still have feelings for him."
Marron shrugged, tilting her chin up in the air. She flipped her blonde hair airily. "There will always be a special fondness for the first boy you'd ever fallen in love with, but I'm over it now." She tipped her head thoughtfully. "I want someone who will bring me gifts and flowers without it having to be a special day. He'd just give it to me just because he loves me."
"Automatic flowers," Bura said. "That would be nice."
Pan listened quietly and hoped that they wouldn't turn on her next. She stared at the ground, lost in her thoughts.
"Earth to Pan," Bura said, rapping her knuckles lightly on the top of the dark head. "So, have you fallen in love yet?"
"Yes," Pan replied softly before she could stop herself.
Marron and Bura leaned forward, their eyes sparkling with curiosity. Pan fidgeted uncomfortably, and finally decided to levitate. In the air, she crossed her legs and looked as if she was sitting down on the ground.
"With who?" Bura demanded.
"Do we know him?" Marron questioned.
"I-I..."
"GIRLS!!" Chichi called. "Come inside. It's getting chilly."
"Okay, Grandma," Pan called back. She started back for the house before the other girls could grill her some more. She shouldn't have said anything. Now they were never going to leave her alone until they found out who she'd been in love with.
The three went into the living room where the men were engrossed in a game of cards between Krilin and Yamcha. Gohan was sitting on the couch, his chin cupped in his hand as he watched the game thoughtfully, as he did all things. Vegeta was leaning against a wall, far apart from the others, his arms crossed. He looked for all the world to be uninterested in the proceedings if not for the way his dark eyes zeroed in on Yamcha's cards. Goten was cheering Yamcha on, while Trunks rooted for Krilin.
Pan smiled at the scene and felt an ache in her heart as she looked at the spot where her grandfather used to sit. Even after six years, no one dared to sit in the cushion, including Vegeta. They all missed him.
Gohan smiled when he saw his daughter walk in. He patted the seat next to him. Pan settled in on the crook of her father's arm. Despite the glasses he wore, he didn't look as if he'd aged at all since she'd been born. Pan leaned her head against his shoulder, once again glad she'd come home.
Bura went to stand by her father. Vegeta didn't move an inch, but his eyes greeted his only daughter with tenderness. Marron went to stand next to Trunks. Pan watched as she touched his arm to get his attention. Trunks leaned his head down close to her so that he could hear what she was saying over the ruckus. Pan scowled.
Gohan fought back a sigh as he watched his daughter watch Trunks and Marron. Goten, the little idiot, was right. His daughter was in love with Vegeta's son.
Pan sat in the kitchen long after her parents had gone to bed, a mug of hot chocolate in her hands. The steam rose in front of her eyes, but she didn't see it. All she could see was how close Trunks and Marron were. After spending one of the most emotional afternoons in her life with him, he'd greeted her with a pat on the back. Like she was Goten or something!! Then, he turned around and hugged and kissed Marron. He'd even walked her to the door when she and her parents were leaving. She gripped the mug tighter and was shocked out of her reverie when the hot liquid poured onto her hands. To her dismay, she realized she had just broken her favorite mug.
"He's too old for you, you know," said a voice from the doorway.
Pan didn't turn around. She walked the sink and grabbed the sponge so she could clean up her mess. Gohan carefully picked up the broken pieces and deposited them in the garbage can.
"What are you talking about, Dad?" Pan asked, feigning ignorance.
"You know what I'm talking about," he replied, sitting down at the table.
Pan felt her lower lip tremble. She gripped the edge of the sink as she fought for control.
Don't cry in front of Dad dammit, she cursed inwardly.
She would have successfully held back the tears if Gohan had not stood to take her in his arms. It was her undoing. She wept into his shoulder as he stroked her back and made comforting noises.
"It's hard isn't it?" he said softly.
"Why does it have to be?"
"It doesn't if you don't want it to," he said cryptically.
Pan pulled away far enough to look him in the face. She sniffled and wiped away her tears so that he wouldn't be a blur.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Is he really worth all this pain, Pan? Remember all the other boys you swore you were in love with, but you always discarded them when you realized they weren't the one after all."
Pan took a deep breath. Gohan dropped his arms and she left the kitchen to head for the darkened living room. He followed her. She stood at the window, the streetlight making a halo around her head. Gohan sat at the couch and waited for her to talk.
"I always wondered why I could never find the right guy for me," she said, her voice steady. "At first, there would be something about the guy that would draw me to him, but then after a few days or weeks I'd be done with them. The magic would disappear. Then another one would come and the same thing would start all over again.
"But through it all, there had always been one person with whom my feelings never changed. I went to him when I was in trouble and you or mom weren't around." She chuckled. "I went to him before I even went to Uncle Goten. I never had to go to Uncle Goten because I wouldn't need to after I talked to him. I never bothered to go to Marron or Bura because if I told them anything everyone else would find about it in an hour.
"I went on my quest to try to figure out my feelings," she said, the suffering she'd endured in her voice, "and I found them, Dad."
"You're only nineteen, Pan," Gohan said.
"I feel so much older," she said, turning to him for a second. "Dad, I've gone around the universe in a spaceship with my twelve year old grandfather, for crying out loud! I've fought and won against the bad guys. I've died and been brought back to life. I've probably gone through a lot more than other people have at my age."
Gohan smiled to himself. Pan sensed rather than saw his amusement. She smiled despite the seriousness of the situation.
"Well, non-Saiya-jin people that is," she corrected.
She didn't say anything for several moments. Gohan turned over the facts in his head. He was afraid his daughter would only end up getting hurt. From what he saw, Trunks didn't see her to be anything more than a younger sister. With so many years between them, he wondered if Trunks would ever see her as anything more.
"I'll be fine, Dad. You can go to bed. You have to get up early tomorrow."
Gohan stood and kissed the top of her head. "I hope that you'll be happy, Pan."
"I hope so, too."
"Trunks!"
Trunks and Vegeta stopped their sparring, breathing and sweating heavily. They turned towards the house and saw Bulma standing at the doorway, her hands on her hips.
"What did you do now, Kid?" Vegeta asked his son.
Trunks swallowed hard as his mother approached them. She reminded him of a lion stalking a monkey. Too bad they had cut off his tail. That would make the picture more accurate.
Vegeta stood off to one side and watched amusedly as his wife picked apart their son. The boy had enough power to zap her into another dimension, but he only stood there and took her berating with a sheepish look. He glanced at Vegeta as if asking for help, but his father only shrugged.
Thanks a lot, Dad.
"This is the last time, Trunks!" Bulma was yelling. "You need to take your work seriously. You're thirty-three years old for chrissakes! You are the president of a successful company. You need to start working!"
Vegeta could see Trunks about to lose his temper. He decided now was a good time to intervene.
"I'll talk to the boy, woman," he stated as if passing a royal edict. "You go in and cook dinner."
Bulma glared at him, but she did make her way back to the house. But not before knocking Trunks on the head with the wooden spoon she'd been holding.
"That didn't hurt, did it?" Vegeta mocked as Trunks rubbed the spot.
"Of course not," Trunks retorted. He smiled. "Thanks, Dad."
Vegeta held up a hand. "Don't start, Kid. I just didn't want your mother to blow her top. I'm the one she's going to take it out on, you know."
"I know."
Vegeta crossed his arms and studied his son. Trunks was just an inch or two taller than him, but other than that they had the same build. If not for the lavender hair and blue eyes he'd inherited from Bulma, they could have been twins. He could see the stubbornness Trunks had inherited from both parents glinting in his eyes and he grinned.
"Not cut out to head a multinational organization, Son?"
Trunks was startled to see his father bare his teeth in such an engaging way and even more so at being called "son" that he didn't answer for several seconds.
"I never was," was the reply.
"But you do know how heartbroken your mother would be if you gave up the presidency. She wants the business to stay in the family."
"I know, but I really don't like this job, Dad. Maybe Bura..."
Vegeta laughed. Trunks joined him soon after. It was hard to imagine his flighty sister sitting behind a desk to do something other than her nails.
"I guess not," Trunks digressed. "I guess I'm stuck with this then."
Vegeta turned and headed for the house. Trunks sat on a patch of grass that had somehow escaped destruction during the sparring match. He cupped his chin in his hand.
But if I wasn't president, what else could I possibly do?