Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ A Change Of Heart ❯ Be Mine Until the Day I Die ( Chapter 28 )

They stood there looking at each other in disbelief as their words sunk in. Pan took in a breath and opened her mouth, but closed it again. She swallowed.

"I…" She drew it out to silence, looking at him with a hopeful eyebrow raised. "So now you know why I didn't want to go." He put his hands in his pockets and drew one corner of his lips up, leaning his head to the side, lavender hair falling into his piercing blue eyes. "I'm sorry I accused you so quickly-"

"No," She looked up at him, and found herself stunned by how gorgeous he looked at the moment. "I should never have invited her as a last resort, and I shouldn't have gotten on you about Larkin." He was more serious than she had seen him in a long time, and the unusual was refreshing.

"So," She said, biting her lip and looking at him. "does this mean that the kiss in the elevator was real." He grinned and stepped closer, putting his hands on her waist.

"Yeah." He leaned forward and kissed her, sending a wave of butterflies through her stomach. She tilted her head and grabbed his arms, feeling his intense and tight muscles under her fingers.

She pulled back from him suddenly, a worried expression suddenly on her face, and Trunks fought the urge to curse. He looked at her curiously, waiting for an explanation. She licked her lips and furrowed her brows.

"What about my scholarship abroad?" He jacked up an eyebrow, a silently chuckling smile on his face, and shook his head. "I'm serious."

"Leave it to you, Pan Son, to think about that right now." She gave him a look only Pan had ever used. Lips apart, brows furrowed, she glared at him. He laughed and playfully kissed her on the forehead.

"They're kissing!" Bura about fell backwards on the chair she was standing on. She had her skirt hiked up to her thighs and Marron was helping support her by grabbing her by her calves, pushing her against the tall window of the hotel. She was standing on two chairs, and Marron was blowing hair out of her face.

"Bura, let me take a look!" Bura rolled her eyes as she tore her eyes from her brother and the latest love of his life. She had a hunch, though, that this one was going to last longer than a week.

"Fine, help me down." She pulled her skirt so she could grab it with one hand by her waist, and started climbing down the stack of tottering chairs. "Marron-watch-hey, that hurt-ouch-hold on, I-ahhhhh!" Bura fell flat on her backside and the chairs came down with her. Marron stumbled back a few and lost her balance. But that wasn't the worst of it. Marron never caught her balance. She lost her footing at the top of the stairs and plummeted down them, making muffled thuds on the deep maroon carpet.

She leaned back on the ground and put an arm over her forehead with a groan.

"Marron, are you ok?" It had gotten worse. Someone had seen her. A male someone. She cringed and squeezed her eyes shut, not wanting to find out who it was-probably a guy of significance-and prepared herself for the worst.

The guy in question she could tell was now kneeling on one leg next to her. She raised her eyebrow, eyes still closed, and turned. It was Goten. He leaned forward and touched her shoulder.

"Marron, are you ok?" And Marron did something she had never done before. Thought of Goten as a cute guy. He was cute. Way cute. Why had she never noticed this before?

He was still staring at her waiting for her answer, and she couldn't find her voice. He had dark black eyes, that cute grin-why couldn't she find her voice? She resolved that the wind must have been knocked out of her, and signaled to him accordingly.

"Oh, Marron, hang on." He disappeared and reappeared with a glass of water, which she took appreciatively. She then found her voice and squeaked a thank you. He grinned his usual Son grin and looked around.

"Here, you need to sit down somewhere." His grin got bigger. "Well, not on the floor I mean." He laughed and leaned forward, scooping her up in his arms. She felt light, a lot lighter than when other guys picked her up, and she liked the feeling. Instinctively she wrapped her arms around his neck as he walked down a hall.

"What happened?" He asked, and she struggled to think of an answer. Any answer but that she and Bura were snooping on Trunks. Bura! The thought crossed her mind that maybe Bura wasn't all right. That thought was quickly wiped away at the sight of a guy helping her down the stairs, Bura playing out a slight limp.

"I-well, I was at the stairs and my shoe caught in a snag on the rug. I'm glad you were there, the wind got knocked clean out of me." She was stuttering and her talking was forced. She was talking to Goten, why was she feeling this way?

He laughed and shot her another famous grin.

She liked his grin, but she didn't like that she liked it. Why was his grin so appealing so suddenly?

"I noticed." At first she had the urge to glare at him, but realized Goten was too innocent to think in any way about someone except the complete truth. The wind got knocked out of her; it was obvious, so of course he noticed. She stifled a slap and smiled.

They came to a lounge and he sat her down on the couch, taking the seat next to her, on the same couch, she noticed.

She sighed, why was Goten suddenly so irresistible?

Bura sat on the lounge couch in the ladies bathroom, checking the clock periodically to see when she could go out. She hated blowing off guys, but a girl had to do what a girl had to do, and it wasn't as if she had asked him to rescue her from being pinned under a few chairs. She looked at the clock and sighed, picking up a magazine from the end table.

Trunks kissed her one last time before breaking away. The wind ruffled through his hair, and she suppressed the urge to touch it.

"So how did your party turn out?" She asked, and he looked into the ballroom from the glass door. She gave a sympathetic, bracing, smile. "Not good?" He put his hands in his pockets and let out a breath.

"All right. My mom loves it." They laughed. "Fancy stuff isn't really my thing. Growing up I learned to act the part. The part of the heir of the largest technology based company in the world. But it really isn't me. I wish I could live in a house in the middle of nowhere really." She smiled.

"Well, maybe you should try it."

"Maybe I shou-" Bulma poked her head out the door.

"Trunks-oh, hi there Pan!" Pan smiled and waved. "Trunks, you need to be in here with guests. There are press that want comments and pictures, and there are people asking where the heck you are." Pan giggled, and Trunks gave her a joking glare.

"Go ahead, Mr. Capsule Corporation." She burst out in laughter again, and Trunks shook his head with a smile.

"Will you meet me in a little bit?" He asked, and she nodded, now serious. "Uh," he looked at his watch, then back at her. "in about forty-five minutes? In room twenty-six?" She nodded. "Ok, I'll see you then." He dashed off with Bulma, and Pan was left to decide what to do for the next little while.

Bura scanned the last magazine and decided it would be ok to go now. She stood up, straightened her dress, and left the bathroom. As soon as she opened the door she swerved around and back in…he was still waiting there. She sighed and plopped on the couch, picking up the most interesting of the many magazines spread out-and thoroughly read by her before.

Marron laughed so hard she feared she might snort, and Goten was busting up laughing along with her. Finally they were laughing so hard a hotel butler look in on them. This only made them erupt into laughter even harder.

"Oh, I can totally see that." Marron said, stretching her head to one side. Goten shook his head and gave a reminiscent smirk.

"Yeah, it wasn't too funny at the time. But sure is it now." Marron laughed and looked around. "What?"

"I want to dance." Marron stood up and took Goten's hand and pulled him up out of his seat. "And definitely not alone."

"In the ballroom again?" He gave a cute, little boy face. "Please don't make me!" She giggled.

"No, just in here." She put hand on one shoulder, and took his other hand. They both started bounding around the room while the music played quietly in the background, not loud enough for them to make out the speed. Suddenly there was a great riiiip, and they stopped.

Marron looked down at the huge tear in her dress then looked up-wide-eyed-at Goten. The two started giggling, and Marron took hold of her skirt over-dramatically before they started bounding around the room again.

"Trunks!" Trunks swiveled around to see Conner Degraid running to catch up with him. "Hey, my man!" They slapped hands and clasped them. "So how's the birthday boy liking his fancy shindig?" Trunks laughed.

"It's going ok." He nodded quickly. "See you actually came." Conner laughed and shook his head.

"Would I have missed the show? Or would I have blown off the bet?" Trunks' stomach gave a lurch. He felt dizziness rush through his veins, and he grabbed the railing of the stairs they were standing on.

"The-the-the bet? The bet that we-"

"Yeah!" Conner slapped him on the arm. "Our little bet on Pan Son. I thought you'd want to discuss it now." Trunks shook off a migraine.

"Oh…oh, yeah, our bet. I, uh-"

"Should we take it in there?" Conner motioned towards an empty lounge at the top of the stairs on the second floor. Trunks vaguely realized he was nodding, and Conner steered him into the room, brushing the door halfway shut.

Trunks sat-or mostly fell-into a chair as Conner leaned against a table set in the middle of the room, assorted business magazines spread over its surface, one featuring Trunks' face on its cover.

Conner picked this one up and looked it over. He smirked and flopped it back on the table. Trunks caught himself staring at an unusual painting, and was suddenly drawn back from his thoughts when he heard Conner speaking.

"So, yes, the bet." Trunks looked at him, and suddenly the nausea was clear from his stomach and Vegeta's attitude was surfacing, realizing more than money was on the line…his pride also was. Conner pulled his arms into a fold.

"Perfect. I saw her tonight, and she's great. Ravishing, brilliant, shined like Cinderella at the ball." He smirked and looked down thoughtfully. "You…are brilliant. I still don't know how you did it." A Vegeta smirk hit his face like a smack; praise was always something he enjoyed.

Pan looked at the clock and started up the stairs. She was a little late. Hopefully Trunks hadn't been waiting too long. She lifted her skirt as she glided up the stairs, and noticed number twenty-six had the light on, and the door was halfway open. He was already there most likely. She got to the top of the stairs, the room was right on the left. She touched the knob, and started to pull-crash!

She spun around and looked down the hall. A man in white uniform had dropped a tray of fondue. She shook her head. Poor man. She took hold of the knob and started to pull again but stopped. Two people were speaking. Trunks was one, but she didn't know-Conner. Conner Degraid was in there with him. She didn't want to interrupt them…

"Trunks, I totally respect you. Who else but you could have turned Pan Son from that into what she looks like tonight? I had doubts before, but-I mean, after seeing her tonight, I couldn't help but admit you won the bet."

Pan drew her hand back like a flash, as if she had touched something that burned her. Her insides told her to run, but she didn't.

"Mr. Capsule Corps wins the two mil. You were so good, I was thinking that you actually liked her." She heard Conner chuckle. "Quite the actor, aren't we?" Pan felt a sore lump form in her throat, and she choked back a sob that threatened to make her body shake. It had all been an act. A bet for money. And she had fallen for it. Fallen, she had thrown herself on it!

Her throat was scratchy and a large, sore lump was at the back of it. Tears so thick she couldn't hold them back were flooding and spilling, and her chest rose and fell quickly, her body shaking with big jerky sobs.

She leant back on the doorframe, hidden from their view, and took a moment to calm herself. She heard silence and then ruffling around. She jerked herself from her haven and ran up the stairs to the next landing on the third floor.

Waiting until they had gone down the stairs, she let herself fall down on the steps, tears running down her cheeks, yet no one was there to comfort her.

Bura sat down her magazine and made her way to the door. She opened it and turned back around with a frustrated sigh. Did this guy ever give up?

Goten and Marron stopped dancing, both too out of breath to continue. Both met each other's smiles, and Marron wanted to smack herself for letting her eyes fall on his lips just like a cute guy at school. However, she couldn't stop looking between his eyes and his lips, and it was oddly comforting to know it.

She soon found out he was doing the same, and she also noticed his grip had not left her waist. Making a silent wish she closed her eyes, puckered up, and leant into his kiss.

Trunks looked for Pan in the ballroom, on the balcony, in the garden, and back at room #26, but she was nowhere to be found. He finally bumped into his mother, but she didn't know where she had went to, and neither did Videl when he asked her. Shaking his head he turned down a hall only to find a girls bathroom. Crossing his fingers, he poked his head in quickly to see if she was in there.

Bura greeted his view instead, and she had a look of pure delight. Grabbing him by the collar she pulled him inside.

"Oh, am I so glad to see you!" She squealed. Then curiosity hit her. "What are you doing in the girls' bathroom?" He shook his head.

"Long story. I'm looking for Pan in short." That seemed to satisfy her, and she cleared her throat to start her speech again.

"I'm stuck here." She said flatly, and he gave her a funny look. "There's this guy out there and he likes me but I don't and can't like him, so I'm trying to blow him off nicely but it isn't working so I've been in here for two hours." She said this all very fast, and it took Trunks a few moments to get it all in.

"All…right. What do you want me to do?"

A few minutes later Trunks slipped out of the bathroom pulling Bura with him. He was yelling louder than usual, putting emphasis on important words.

"I leave for just a few moments, and come back to find my girlfriend sitting in a bathroom reading magazines! What kind of support for me is that?"

"I'm sorry, but you know how I don't like big crowds. Besides, the punch made me sick. And how can you expect me to be at all your social escapades when you're the heir of Capsule Corporations?"

"Can I help it if I'm the most powerful man in the world? All I ask is for my girlfriend to be loyal and by my side!" Trunks turned around to see Bura's love of the evening scurrying down the hall. She turned to him with a smile of triumph, and kissed him on the cheek before he disappeared on a further search for Pan.

Marron was leaning back on his hard chest, it rising with each breath. She had no idea how this had happened, where it had come from, but she didn't really care. It felt so right to just be sitting with him on the couch, not needing to talk. The realization that this was Goten Son still had not fully hit her, but she didn't really want it to tonight. She sighed and snuggled closer, his arms warming her bare ones.

Pan sniffled for what seemed the three-millionth time. She guessed she couldn't cry another drop. Pan had never been a crier. Bura could at the drop of a hat and end just as fast growing up. Marron saved them for special occasions, like a beheaded Barbie, but Pan had never cried. Tough to the end, she would have rather died than let Goku, Vegeta, or her father see her cry.

Dry to the core of her eyeballs she resolved to think; it had always helped her before. Vegeta had given her a rare compliment about her thinking. He had said that when the world was falling apart, Pan could and would think it through. That had been a huge compliment for Vegeta, and she always stood a bit taller around him after that.

She pictured a soldier returned from a fresh battle, reporting to Prince Vegeta about his fight, and Vegeta returning him a compliment that made you wonder if it was a compliment or a fact, and the soldiers head lifting a bit higher forever after that.

Vegeta-save his pride and former ruthlessness-must have been a good Prince. And he probably would have been a great King. She wondered what she would have been like if Vejita-sei still existed. She sighed. She probably wouldn't exist period. Her mother probably would have been a second-class fighter, forever untouched by the Son men.

She shook her head; her thoughts were wandering again, another thing she was prone to.

She heard footsteps walking up the stairs, and every muscle in her body tightened. They sounded like Trunks, and she tried to dab at her eyes. Soon they were rounding the corner of the stairs-about to see her-but it wasn't Trunks…it was Vegeta.

She looked at him, just stared at him. Wondering what the heck he was doing away from the food table for one, and the party for two. He sat down next to her, and she continued to stare open-mouthed.

He smirked, and she realized she must look a sight. Hair falling down, red, puffy eyes, dress disheveled, and more boob falling out than she was used to. It made her uncomfortable, self-conscious, to know how much was being shown in that department to someone she revered as a sort of father figure. She straightened her shoulders to lessen the drama of it all and cleared her throat.

"You don't have to say anything." He said quietly, and for once, she saw Vegeta as wise. Not wise as in fighting, as in intelligent-he had always been-but wise in the ways of everyday life. Like a real father. Like the one you see on TV comforting you when you've been stood up for a date, or snobbed at school. She saw Vegeta as wise in those ways, wise as if right now he was trying his best to comfort her from what he knew had happened, even if he didn't truly know exactly what took place. Wise in a fatherly way.

Pan then did the only thing she knew to do back: she hugged him tight and buried her face in his shoulder. She didn't cry, that was all done, but she took in the fact that someone was there for her, to hold her, and it was the most unlikely person she could have imagined.

She thought of what kind of parents Vegeta must have had, what happened to them. They were obviously dead, but did he mourn for them? Did they ever comfort him? Did he ever even need comforting? She drew back and gave him an appreciative smile.

"Thanks, that's something I needed." She found herself saying it before she even thought, but she didn't regret her words one bit.

Vegeta then looked at her point-blank, making her straighten up.

"You ready?" She looked at him, confused.

"Ready? Ready for what?" He stood up and offered her his hand. She took it, though still confused.

"Ready to go on with life. You cried, you thought it over in your head-as you do-" He added with a smile. "but you can't let that affect you for longer than it needs to." He folded his arms, regaining a Vegeta-esque stance. "I'm going to say this in fighting terms, because I know you'll understand it." She nodded dumbly. "No matter how hard you're hit, you don't sit out the match." She nodded, this time without a dumb, mute expression. "Don't let yourself get hit again, but don't stop fighting."