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"I Need No One Else… But You "Written By: Threequartersaiyan Disclaimer: This is just a story I have written. I don’t own the DBZ characters; Akira Toriyama does, and that’s why he’s got money, and I do this for fun.
Notes: Pan is now a grown woman who is graduating from college and will soon be out on her own. In the meantime, the two Saiyans are trying to work out there feelings for each other. After so many rejected jobs, she finds a job at the Capsule Corp. Will anything happen between Pan and Trunks, the new president of the Corporation? Rating: Feedback: A necessity…if you don’t mind…Please?
I Need No One Else… But You
Chapter 1-- A Father’s Realization Videl stood at the kitchen counter, chopping some fresh vegetables and dropping them into her favorite wok. She wiped the emerging sweat from her brow with the back of her hand as the heat of the kitchen got to her. She opened the window in front of her to let some fresh, and hopefully cool, air into the inferno. “Hi, Videl,” Gohan said as he put his briefcase down on the floor. He walked over to her and gave her a kiss on the cheek and a hug around the waist. He sniffed the air. “Dinner smells good, honey,” he said as he tried to sneak a peek in the steaming pan. “What’cha got in there?” “You’ll have to wait till dinner,” she replied as she craned her neck along with a nudge to the ribs to keep him from seeing the inside of the container. Gohan poked his lip out. Videl gently tapped him on the nose and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. “Gohan, come on, now! Out the kitchen, hon.” Reluctantly, Gohan left the kitchen to go into his den. As he walked, he took off his jacket. “How was work, dear?” she called to him, her eyes never leaving the wooden board on the counter. “It was fine. A little tiring, though… Where’s Pan, Videl?” he called. She would have usually tackled me by now. “Is she in the house?” “No, honey,” she said. “She and Eric went out on a date for a little while. She should be back pretty soon.” A few moments later, Videl heard keys in the door and a car drive off in a hurry. She peeked over her shoulder and saw Pan walk into the foyer and almost slam the door shut. She caught it right before the door closed in the frame. Pan forgot how much her parents hated slamming doors. “Hey, Mom, I’m home,” Pan called half-heartedly. She slowly walked into the kitchen and flopped down at the table with her head in her arms. Needless to say, her head hit the table with a loud thud. She really didn’t care. “Honey, what’s wrong?” Videl called. As soon as she said that, her motherly instinct kicked in. If that isn’t it, I don’t know what is , she thought. She lifted her head from the table a few inches. “Today, I broke up with Eric, Mom.” She put her head back down into her arms. Even though Pan’s heart felt like it had been steamrollered over, she couldn’t bring herself to cry. Now it would have been different if Trunks had—she put the thought out of her mind and dismissed it. It was silly to think that he would’ve even given her a second look. Even though Trunks was four years older, the two of them followed the “age ain’t nothing but a number” philosophy. Besides, even though Pan liked him, she knew that she was no competition to the numerous amounts of women who threw themselves at the feet of Trunks Briefs for his riches, charming behavior, and fantastic looks. She tore herself away from her thoughts of Trunks and brought them back to reality. I knew it! Videl turned around and enveloped her daughter in a hug. “I’m sorry honey, but it’ll be okay.” She gave her a reassuring smile and a kiss to the forehead. Pan slowly lifted her head and scoffed. “I hope so, Mom.” She dropped her head down to her arms again. Videl turned back around to the stove. “What’ll be okay, Videl?” Gohan asked as he came back into the kitchen and loosened his tie. He looked at his daughter. “Did you break up with Eric, Pan?” She looked at her father. “Was it that obvious, Dad?” Gohan smiled and dropped a kiss to her forehead. “A little, yeah. Plus, I heard your mother say it just now.” Pan gave her father a tired half-smile. Gohan squatted and looked at her, eye level. “Look at it this way: You are getting ready to graduate from law school in a few days; you should be really happy. Those are two obstacles out of your way. Besides, you’ll have other boyfriends; boyfriends that will actually mean something to you.” He stood up with a grimace on his face. He found out that the older he got, the more his knees bothered him. ’m getting old! Pan smiled, jumped up and gave her father a hug. “Thanks, Dad.” She kissed him on the cheek and gave her mother a hug as well. “I’m going to call Bulla.” She ran upstairs to her room to use her private extension. “She’ll be okay honey,” Videl told her husband. “I know, Videl,” Gohan replied. “She’s a fighter; she is part Saiyan!” He had a proud look and an accompanying smile on his face every time he said that. Videl rolled her eyes with a smile on her face. She could see that his father-daughter relationship reminded her of the relationship with her own father. Gohan was always so proud of his daughter; the fact that she was twenty-five percent Saiyan, such a fighter and yet so gentle at the same time was an issue that barely scratched the surface. He was very protective of her. To Videl, she knew that was one of the main reasons Gohan taught her how to fight. He had seen her grow so much these near twenty-one years and he loved Pan and Videl with such a passion. Videl also knew that Gohan would do anything for Pan; she had him wrapped around her thin finger. She smiled at her thoughts and chuckled to herself. ~~O~~O~~ The phone rang on the other end. “Hello?” a gruff and annoyed voice answered. “Um, hi, Vegeta. Is Bulla there?” Pan asked. “Hello, Pan. Hang on.” Vegeta put the phone down. Even with the phone down, she could hear him on the phone. She winced at his volume, even with the muffled receiver. “Bulla! Pan’s on the phone! Pick it up!” She heard him put the phone on the line for Bulla. She picked up on her own line a few seconds later. “Hi Pan,” the girl’s cheerful voice said. “Hi, Bulla,” Pan replied. She took a deep breath. “Bulla, I have something very important to tell you. Listen to me very, very carefully: do you promise me that you will not get all hysterical when I tell you?” “I promise, Pan,” Bulla said. “Really, really.” “Okay…I broke up with Eric.” Bulla gasped. “Why? Pan, what happened between you two? You guys were getting along great. I thought you guys would last forever. What did he do? What did you do? What in the world---“ “Bulla, you promised you wouldn’t get hysterical!” “That was before I knew!” Pan sighed heavily. She should have known better that Bulla would react that way. Just wait until she hears why we broke up , Pan thought. “Bulla, would you just listen to me for a second? Jeez, listen…” Pan craned her neck around behind her to make sure that the door of her room was closed. “I broke up with Eric because I found out he cheated on me and the girl is 5 months pregnant.” “What?!” Bulla yelled through the receiver. Pan had to hold the phone away from her ear. That is definitely Vegeta in there. “That little sneaky, son of a—” “Hey, hey, hey,” Pan said. “Why are you so upset?” Bulla couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Why am I so upset? Eric cheated, and lied to my best friend, and I’m supposed to be all casual about it? You should be more upset than me! Why aren’t you upset about him cheating on you?” Pan blew a strand of hair out of her face. “Well, when I really think about it, I guess I’m not that upset over it because he really didn’t matter to me. I liked him, but I didn’t love him like I used to—“ “Like you used to love Trunks?” Bulla said with a hint of sneakiness in her voice. She smiled at her end of the receiver. She sucked her teeth and heaved a huge sigh. “Noooo,” Pan said. “I was never in love with Trunks. That’s silly.” The girl is lying through her teeth, she thought. “Mm-hmm, okay. Whatever you say, Pan…Hey, uh, listen, do you have anything to do tonight?” Bulla asked. “Nope, I don’t think so…Why, what’s up?” Pan asked back. “Can you see it you can come over here tonight? I don’t have anything to do. I know you just got back from school and everything, but, I am bored out of my mind. So can you?” She thought for a few moments. “I have to ask my parents, but I think it’ll be okay. Let me call you back in a few minutes and I’ll see.” “Okay, ‘bye.” “ ’Bye.” ~~0~~0~~ Bulla slammed the phone down and ran down the stairs to the kitchen. “What’s got you so upset?” Trunks asked as he grabbed a bottle of apple juice from the fridge and a glass from the cupboard. He tucked a strand of long lavender hair that strayed from the ponytail behind his ear and poured the juice. “I just talked to Pan,” Bulla said, with a pissed-off look on her face as she walked into the kitchen. Trunks’ heart skipped a couple of beats when he heard her name. That always happened when someone said it. Even when someone said “frying pan,” he immediately thought of her. Her long dark hair, ebony eyes, beautiful smile…he sighed, lost to his thoughts. The only thing was, he was afraid of being in an intimate relationship with her, even though he knew he would never hurt her. They had been friends for the longest time, ever since she was younger and in their times of searching for the Black Star Dragon Balls. Pan was the only thing he ever wanted, all of those girls who threw themselves at his feet didn’t mean squat. He was also afraid of admitting his feelings for her. His father was the one he became afraid of, even as a grown man. ‘You are my heir to being the prince of all Saiyans,’ Vegeta would tell him. ‘Aim high for your future woman. After you’ve had them, don’t give them a second look. Keep going and find your next one.’ Trunks tried hard not to listen to the advice his father would give him about women. After he turned 17, he knew he was wrong, but he couldn’t help himself. Girls offered and he accepted, but after it was over, he cut them off like a split end. His father didn’t object to that. He even gave his son a proud look and an assertive hand on the shoulder. “I’m proud of you,” he even said. Something about that just didn’t go right. Trunks knew that he had made a couple of mistakes earlier in his life and he made a vow deep in his heart that Pan would be the one woman that he would never take advantage of. “And,” Bulla continued. “She broke up with Eric because he cheated on her.” For the second time, Trunks’ heart skipped another few beats. Suddenly, those soft feelings for Pan turned into anger against her now ex-boyfriend. How dare some ruthless and cold-hearted son of a —he calmed himself down, even though it only lasted for a few seconds. Still, someone as funny, sweet, and as sexy as Pan doesn’t deserve to be treated that way. I hope I don’t ever see that bastard on the street or I’ll be the last thing he sees! “Trunks? Trunks? Trunks!” Bulla yelled in his ears to bring him back to Earth. “Huh?” Trunks snapped back. “What is it?” She crossed her arms over her chest. “You need to clean up this mess. You broke the glass that had your apple juice in it.” She pointed to the kitchen floor. “Jeez, what pissed you off?” She looked at him and walked out of the kitchen. He looked down and he scoffed. “If only you knew, sister, if only you knew,” he said aloud, but to himself. The broken glass lay in a glistening puddle along with the spreading apple juice. He walked over to the wall and grabbed the broom and dustpan and cleaned up the mess and wiped up the floor. ~~0~~0~~ Pan placed her cordless phone back on the charger. She opened her door and ran downstairs. “Mom!” she called. “In the kitchen! Dinner’s almost ready! Go wash up!” Videl called back. Pan came into the kitchen. “Actually, Mom, I just talked to Bulla and she wants me to come over tonight. Is that okay?” Videl sighed. She just walked in the door and now she’s going back out again. “I guess so. Just let your father know that you’re leaving.” Man , she thought. I had more freedom at eighteen than I do at near twenty-one! Pan looked all around the house. She came back into the kitchen a few minutes later. “He’s not in the house, Mom. Where is he?” Videl looked around. “I don’t know, honey. He said he heard the door—“ She cut herself off and then looked out the window. “He’s outside with someone. Go look who it is,” she said with a smile. Pan walked through the kitchen to the foyer and then opened the front door to look outside. “Grandpa!” she cried excitedly. Goku looked around Gohan to see his granddaughter coming towards him. “Pan!” Pan ran to her grandfather and practically pounced on him. Luckily, after he defeated the evil dragons, Goku was wished back to his normal size by Chi Chi. Chi Chi clearly displayed that she was restless of having a husband the size of an eight-year-old. He still kept his tail, though. She kissed him on the cheek, arms still wrapped around his neck. “Pan…Pan…I…can’t…breathe,” Goku managed to get out. “Oh! Sorry, Grandpa,” Pan said with a sheepish smile as she let him go. With another kiss to the cheek, she jumped down from him. “How are you doing, Ms. Soon-to-be-law school-graduate?” Goku asked. “I’m fine,” Pan said. “Well, well, if I turn into Dad, do I get a welcome like that, too?” another voice asked. Pan looked around Goku. “Uncle Goten!” She ran to Goten and gave him a hug. “Pan,” he whined. “Don’t call me Uncle. You make me feel like I’m old.” Everyone laughed and went into the house. “I’m sorry you guys, but I’ve gotta go. Bulla invited me to stay over tonight,” Pan apologized as she put her hands in her pockets. Gohan protested to her leaving. “But you just got in from law school a few days ago.” “I’ll be back sometime tomorrow, Dad,” Pan said. To make him say yes, she made her eyes get really big and poked her lower lip out. Gohan crossed his arms over his chest and held a stern look, but Pan held her ground too. He sighed heavily and gave in to his daughter. “All right, Pan, go ahead.” “Thanks, Dad,” Pan said with a bright smile as she kissed her father on the cheek. “I’ll be back sometime tomorrow evening.” She ran upstairs to her room to pack her clothes. A few moments later, she ran downstairs with her duffel bag in hand. “Later, everyone,” she said and once out the door she took to the sky. Gohan sighed. Please be careful, Pan , he thought. No matter how old she got, Gohan still found himself worrying about her, especially since she was his only child. “Face it, son,” Goku said as he put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Pan’s growing up; she’s practically a woman.” Gohan sighed again as he turned to face his father. “I know, Dad. I know. I’m just not ready to let her go yet.” He turned again to face the bright sparkle in the sky. I don’t care how old she is, she is still my little girl. She grew up too fast! Where did the time go? She can’t leave me yet! I’m not ready for this! ~~0~0~~ “What’s all this for?” Trunks asked as he reached for the pretzels Bulla put down in the den. “Ouch!” he cried as Bulla smacked him on the hand like a three-year-old. It didn’t hurt, but it surprised him. “Pan’s coming over in a few minutes.” Bulla replied as she continued to set out food. “As fast as she flies, she should’ve been here already.” Pan’s coming over here? She didn’t even call to say she was home from school. Well, it’ll be good to see her. I can’€ wait to see her. As soon as she said that, the doorbell rang. Trunks pulled his hair back in a rubber band. Bulla sensed a familiar ki. “There she is,” Bulla said with satisfaction. She ran downstairs to answer the door. There stood Pan wearing a baby blue hood, dark blue jeans, a pink tank top, and a pink bandana. Behind her was the pizza guy. Some things never change, Bulla thought. “Come in, both of you,“ she said. “Thanks,” they said at the same time. They walked into the foyer. After she paid and gave him a tip, Bulla carried all fifteen pizzas into the house. “I’m glad you ordered pizza, Bulla,” Trunks said. “I was getting hungry. Do we all get three pizzas?” “I had some chicken earlier so I only want two. Somebody can have my other pie.” Everyone sat down at the table and began to eat. Bulma only ate one pie. Vegeta claimed the other one. After he was finished, he wiped his mouth with a napkin and accompanied it with a loud belch and pound to his chest. “You know where I’ll be,” was all he said as he left the kitchen. The two of them sat in the kitchen alone. A few seconds later, Trunks looked at Pan. She could feel and see him staring at her out of the corner of her eye. She turned her head to face him. “What do you want?” she asked gently. “I wanted to know if you’d like to…” he trailed off. “Yes?” she asked with a hopeful look in her eye. “…If you like to…split the rest of the pizza with me?” he asked. “Oh! Sure,” she said. The tone of her voice went down as she looked down at her plate. Trunks handed her the other half of the pizza. Come on, Trunks , he thought to himself. What is wrong with you, stupid? Why can’t you just admit to her that you like her? He kicked himself mentally. Pan rinsed her plate off and put it in the dishwasher. She walked outside and walked around the garden area of the Corp. Dome. She took the old blanket she had with her and laid it on the grass. She flopped backwards and looked up at the sky from under a thick tree. A few seconds later, Trunks joined her in the grass. “Want some company?” he asked. “I don’t mind,” Pan replied as she moved over to make room for him on the blanket she borrowed from Bulla. The both of them lay back on the blanket under the shade watching the clouds. Neither one of them said a word. “Do you ever wonder about home?” he asked, trying to break that ice-cold silence. Pan was about to question him, but after thinking for a moment she then knew what he meant. She sighed. “Sometimes, I do. I wonder what the full-blooded Saiyans were like, besides Grandpa and your dad…I even wonder if I would’ve been acceptable because I’m only a quarter-Saiyan…Do you ever wonder about your grandfather?” He gave a shrug of his shoulders. “Sometimes. My father has a picture of him in his night table. My grandfather looks just like my father, only he has a mustache and goatee. Dad doesn’t like facial hair…I don’t like the idea of being a prince, but then sometimes I do.” Pan gave a short laugh. “Now, your sister is a different story. She acts like a princess, though. Your mom doesn’t.” “My mom can be stubborn, but, yeah, she doesn’t act like a princess,” Trunks replied. The two continued on a light conversation. Pan chuckled in mid-sentence. “What is it?” Trunks asked. “Nothing,” she replied. “Oh, come on Pan,” Trunks said. “It has to be something.” She chuckled again. “Your parents are always arguing about something; are they in love or what?” Trunks chuckled aloud as well. “Yeah, they are. Trust me, they are… Once, Dad came out of the training room, sweaty, mind you, and he came into the kitchen with his shorts on and then Mom came in and saw him and…..you can guess the rest. The sad thing is, I walked in on them, kind of. I pushed the door and luckily, they didn’t see me. I had a nightmare about that for about a week. Not to mention that I could not look at my parents in their eyes for a whole week.” “Ohh, poor baby,” Pan sympathized. The two young adults laughed and then their eyes met and locked and so did their lips in a kiss. Before long, they pulled back before anyone saw them. Yet, they still lay on the blanket. Pan got up and went back into the house. “I’ll be back,” was all she said as she dusted off her behind. Trunks stared at her as she walked away. My God , he thought. I felt sparks. No other woman made me feel like that . He lay back down on the blanket. Pan walked to the bathroom. Good grief , she thought. I felt like fireworks on the fourth of July. Even Eric never kissed like that, and Trunks and I only shared a little kiss! After Pan came out of the house, they lay on the blanket and watched the sun go down. When it got dark outside, Trunks and Pan got up and folded the blanket and walked back in the house through the sliding door. The two walked into the kitchen. They shared a huge hot fudge brownie sundae. ~~0~~0~~ “I’m just not ready to let her go yet,” Gohan said that night as he got into bed with Videl. Videl sighed at her husband with a smile on her face. She gently laughed at him as she flipped off the light switch. Her side of the room went dark and she kissed him on the cheek. “You’re so cute when you’re pitiful, Gohan.” He looked at her, taken aback. “What do you mean Videl?” She slid next to him under the sheets. “Gohan, our daughter is a woman. Not long after she graduates from law school, she will be twenty-one.” Gohan thought about that for a minute, but he still poked his lip out and crossed his arms. “She’s still my daughter, darn it……You’re right, though; she is a woman. But I tell you one thing, there is one other woman I refuse to let go of.” He turned out the other light, brought her in his arms and kissed his wife passionately. |
