Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ A Change Of Heart ❯ A Dark and Mysterious Dream ( Chapter 23 )

Pan plopped on her bed and started going through her bag, pulling out books, pens, and notebooks. The tuxedo cat hopped up beside her, flexing his paws alternately on her bedspread. Pan scratched it under the chin, and it lied down beside her, content.

Her door cracked open, and Mary Kate walked in.

"You a'right?" Mary Kate asked, sitting down and looking over the cover of her notebook that bore a picture of her family. "That's cute." She said, looking over the family photo. All of Pan's other notebooks bore pictures of loved ones, and Mary Kate began looking them over. The last in the collection bore a photograph of Pan and Trunks with fireworks in the background.

Mary Kate held it up, an expression of "when was this?" on her face. Pan sighed and took it out of her hands, looking over it herself.

"A bunch of us went to this club, well, we met there-kind of-and then we went to see some fireworks." She explained in monotone.

"How was it?" Mary Kate asked, trying to get some reminiscing out of her. Pan flopped the notebook down and the cat jumped off the bed, the sudden movement startling her.

"We got in a car wreck." Pan said matter-of-factly. Mary Kate's eyebrows rose dramatically. "Well," She continued, the monotone leaving. "Trunks drove me home after dropping some people off, and we got in a wreck and all. Nothing really caused it-well, an SUV did, but that's beside the point." Her monotone came back with the end of the sentence, and Mary Kate lifted a corner of her mouth thoughtfully.

"I'm sorry." Mary Kate said, looking at the cat roll around on the floor. Pan looked up at her. "I mean, it mus'be awful ta' go through tha', an' I'm sorry ya' had ta'." Pan frowned, her eyes on the picture of her and Trunks on the notebook.

"I guess what hurts most is knowing he isn't hurting…like I am." Mary Kate nodded, and conversations stopped, but her simply being there was enough for Pan.

With a clank Trunks woke up. His pen lay on the floor along with several strewn about papers. In front of him, on the desk, were similar papers also awaiting his signature.

He had fallen asleep…again.

Shaking his head he gathered the papers that lied scattered on the floor. Slapping the stack on his desk, he plopped into his chair and began another spree of signing papers.

Moments later he welcome a buzz from his secretary, Claire. Pushing a button, he awaited her voice.

"Almost done with those documents, sir?" She had a hint of sarcasm in her voice, and Trunks didn't appreciate it at the moment.

"Almost, Claire." He answered sarcastically, leaning over his papers, signing a form, a bit of singsong tone in his own voice.

"Touchy, touchy." She said, raising the volume a touch. "Well, want me to pick them up-or, what you have done up?" Setting down his pen he sighed, then he stretched his back.

"Yeah, and you can come get all of them." With a buzz, he ended the conversation, and Claire appeared in his office. She walked to his desk and leaned forward on it, looking over his progress like a teacher.

"All of these?" She asked, fingering the stack. He nodded without a word and summoned his data-pad. "Why don't you go out for a break?" She asked in concern. "Conner Degraid will invite you out anyway. You might as well invite him for once." He spun his chair around and looked out the window.

"Alright." He gave in, turning around to face her. "Get him on the phone." With a smug smile she disappeared and Trunks sighed, for something thousandth time that day.

"Glad you could make it out of the black hole." Conner said with a smile, standing up as Trunks walked in the room, referring to his job.

He laughed-weakly, but Conner didn't notice. Sitting down opposite Conner, Trunks slid his fingers around his glass, welcoming the taste of cold water. A waitress walked into the room bearing two leather bound menus under one arm. Bending her knees, crouching lower, she handed them to the guests without a word, just a pleasant smile. The boys smiled back politely, although Conner's eyes held her gaze longer than Trunks. With a smirk he slid his tongue over his front teeth and gave a little chuckle to himself. He looked up at Trunks, and upon realizing that the pretty young woman's looks had done nothing for Trunks, he dropped it and looked over his menu.

"What about you?" He asked. "All of this sounds foreign or just plain out there." He laughed. "I guess I'm not quite yet into the whole fine cuisine, president of a company thing." Trunks smiled and looked up.

"When all else fails, look impressive by asking someone what they recommend, and ask random questions, like is it flamed or seared. Hey," He grinned. "it always works for me." Conner grinned too and nodded, looking over the menu in a new light.

Finally the waitress came back and she looked curiously at them both. Trunks nodded, and waved his hand over. He alternated between looking at her and the menu, and Conner watched the process carefully.

"Is the Le'gorán grilled or seared?" He asked, looking like a cultured chef. She looked at him, not expecting a question like that, then licked her lips quickly and opened her mouth.

"It is grilled, sir. Unless you would like it seared, and I can do that for you." She said slowly, in a dignified, deep, methodical voice. Conner looked enthralled, and Trunks allowed himself a smirk.

"All right, thank you." He bit his lip almost invisibly. "Um," He looked over the rows of entrees and then looked at her. "what do you recommend?" She leaned forward and looked over his shoulder.

"The Cordon Bleu is wonderful, we're famous for it. The L'garcon is also a favorite." She smiled and took a step back. He inspected his menu once more and turned to her.

"Have you had either?" He asked, and she gave a playful smirk. Something that wasn't probably something she should have done in her position. It was a joking dare, and she was completely ready for the challenge.

"I have had both." She stated, her teeth showing, but a smile still wasn't perfectly present. He nodded and handed her the menu, shutting it closed in mid-air. She smiled and nodded, taking it.

"Then I will take the Cordon Bleu." He said, a cocky expression in full play. She smiled and put a hand on her hip, tilting her head to the side.

"Oh? All right then." She teased, and his emotions did a somersault. The eyes that gave away the thoughts of her soul, her cocky and playful attitude, her expression and smile, everything made him think of Pan so strongly it was like a punch in the gut.

He knew his own expression must have changed, because he felt so weak-kneed and nauseous that he thought it impossible that his feelings weren't betrayed on the outside. He vaguely was seeing her walk to Conner, and he imagined that Conner ordered the L'garcon, but it was one of those moments when seconds later you wonder if it was you imagining it or actually hearing it.

"Trunks, you alright?" He heard, the voice ringing clearer than his thoughts. He looked up to see Conner looking strangely at him. He was leaning on one arm on the table, his lavender hair spilling over his eyes. He blinked and shook his head.

"Yeah," He whispered. "Yeah, I'm fine." He said louder and Conner's eyebrows dropped to concern.

"Are you feeling sick, man?" Trunks shook his head and took a drink of water. "You kind of zoned out for a moment. And you looked sick, kind of faint."

"I'm fine." Trunks said, setting his glass down. "Just was thinking." He pushed out, feeling like he was shoving the words off a high diving board. He stretched his neck by leaning it left and then right.

"A girl?" Conner asked with a smile. "They can get to you like that." Before Trunks knew what he was doing he nodded and took another gulp of water. "Don't worry, I won't bug you about it. But, if this girl is worth anything, she'll see you as a catch and jump into your arms as soon as she can. If she doesn't then she's not worth it."

No, she won't jump into my arms. Trunks thought. But she is worth it. He sighed. If you only knew.

The doors opened with a hiss and Mr. Capsule Corporation himself walked into the main lobby of the Capsule Corporations building.

"Get Claire ready for me." He simply said to the main lobbyist as he walked by, and she started pushing buzzers. Pushing the button for the elevator he blew hair out of his face irritably when it didn't appear instantly. Blowing out some forced air he pushed the button, then again, and again, and many agains after that.

Finally it appeared and he pushed his way inside, shoving a couple of scared people out of the way in the process. Leaning against the wall he was grateful that he was alone in the cubicle that was slowly-as he thought about its speed-making its way up to his office.

Finally there was a ding! signaling the end of his trip and he burst out of the doors as soon as they slid open. Claire was standing up, folders in hand, headset placed on her head, waiting for his arrival, and followed him silently into his office, closing the door after herself.

"Yes sir?" She asked when he had sat at his desk without a word, spinning it around to face the window, arms folded sulkily, Vegeta style. "Uh, sir?" She asked again and he raised on single eyebrow. She gave up and stood there silently.

"I need your help." He said, and his time she raised an eyebrow. She opened a notebook and pulled out a pen. "No, not with that." He said without turning around. "I need some advice."

Sometime later Claire leaned forward in her chair, studying her boss closely, and then she licked her lips and closed her mouth, looking up hopefully.

"Well," She said at last, and he awaited her answer anxiously. "I don't know what to tell you. I think you were an idiot for taking on the bet, for going through with it without canceling it before that night, but mostly for not noticing her before this." She finished, and his lip dropped. This definitely wasn't the answer he expected. Or, at least, the last one he didn't expect.

"If she means this much to you now, then why didn't you notice her before?" She questioned quickly, awaiting an answer impatiently. He swallowed and looked down, then up.

"Because I'm an idiot." He said quietly and she nodded like a teacher who had just had a student present the obvious answer he had overlooked through so many lessons. She pursed her lips and then licked them, nodding.

"I don't know what you'll do now, but you better hope someone up there is in a good mood." He smirked, trying to picture Dende in a bad mood. He just couldn't. Although, ok, he admitted it, he's seen Dende pretty ticked a couple of times. But, well, it was hard to get him there, and hard to picture it, even if it was a memory.

She stood up, gathering her things and heading towards the door. She stopped when the door opened and turned around to him.

"Good luck, Mr. Briefs." She said seriously. "This girl it seems would do you a lot of good." She smiled and then closed the door behind her. Trunks ran a hand through his hair and sighed…again.

Pan ran down the stairs two at a time and jumped into his arms, her suitcase dropping to the floor. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight, her feet dangling inches from the ground.

"I missed you so much!" She exclaimed in his ear and he squeezed her tighter, not ever wanting to let go.

"I should never have let you go." He said softly, like an apology. "How was England?" He asked, setting her down reluctantly, taking up her suitcase in his hand. She sighed, reliving the memories in her head.

"You have no idea how wonderful it was. I only wish you could have been there with me." She smiled, taking his hand, entwining her fingers with his. He led her through the door, and they walked through the rows of cars, simply ecstatic just to see each other.

He opened the door and helped her in, guiding her head with his hand. He jumped into his own seat and turned the key, the familiar hum of his engine roaring with the pressure on the gas pedal as they started down the street towards home.

She leaned her head out the window, resting her chin on her arms, reveling in the sunny-day breeze. He found himself grinning just by watching her contentment, and was disappointed when the wind had died, the car turning onto residential roads.

The hum of the engine died out, and he turned the key towards him. He opened her door for her and took her hand, helping her out of the car. He looked up to see Bura's face peeking out the window. It disappeared quickly, and he could only imagine the fuss that was being made inside as everyone awaited their entrance.

Walking hand in hand, they made their way to the front door, and she skipped up the single step to it. With a grin she turned to him as he opened the door, and he stepped in first.

Turning around he held out his hand for Pan to come in, but she only looked at him with dread. Confused, he looked at her. The sky behind her darkened instantly, and wind picked up at a rapid pace, blowing her hair fiercely.

"Pan?" He shouted over the noise, but she didn't answer, that horrible, dreading expression still on her face. "Pan!" He shouted, holding out his hand forcefully. She took another step back and tripped, falling backwards slowly. "Pan!" He shouted once again, wanting to reach out to her, but his legs didn't budge.

"Trunks! Trunks don't let me fall!" She screamed, her hair billowing around her face, her body falling backwards in slow motion. He fought with himself, wanting to run to her, his body not moving an inch.

With a thud her body hit the ground, the scene around them no longer his home but a dark, foreboding one. A black hole that went on an on forever around them.

Her hair spilled around face, her body eerily still. Fluttering her eyes open just barely, her deep black eyes penetrated him, and coldness swept throughout his body.

"Trunks," She whispered desperately, sorrowfully. "you told me you'd always be there." Her eyes slid shut, and her face dropped to one side, a deep breath releasing from her lungs.

"Pan!" He yelled desperately, not able to step nearer to her, not able to run to her side and hold her. "PAN!" He cried, falling to his knees, sobs overtaking him. "PAAAAN!"

With a jolt Trunks woke up, cold sweat dripping off his body. His hands were shaking, and soon he realized the rest of him was too. Running a hand through his hair he took deep breaths, trying to steady himself.

But there was one thing he did not know about this dream, no matter how vivid, how realistic it was. It was that at exactly this moment, far away, a girl with jet-black hair and eyes awoke with a start after having the exact same dream.