Father of Mine, Know Me

Father of Mine, Know Me

‘You have been there my whole life, and never once seen me. You think me a child, one to be humored, given a pat on the head, and shooed off to play. Even my year spent traveling in space did not change your view of me. Even as I fought by your side against the threats to Earth as a super Sayjin, you still thought me a child that needed your protection. What will it take for you to know me, the real me?’ Pan thought as she watched her father check her bags for the umpteenth time, making sure she had everything she would need.

"Are you sure about this, Panny?" he asked, his eyes shining with worry. "Florida is so far away."

"I'm sure Father." Pan replied, aching at the reminder that he still thought of her as a little girl. "It may be far away, but the university there is the one I have chosen." Pasting a grin on her face, she continued, "Besides, I can always fly myself home anytime I want. Being a demi-Sayjin has it’s advantages."

"Call me anytime you need to, Panny." Gohan sighed, reluctant to let her go.

"I'm sure she will, dear." Videl interrupted, sensing her daughter’s impatience to leave. "Take care, Panny." With a final hug, she retreated back into the house. She could hardly bare to see her only child leave her, but she knew that it was for the best.

"Bye, Mother." Pan called after her, a genuine smile gracing her lips.

"Bye Panny." Gohan said, sadness heavy in his voice as he hugged her to him.

"Bye Father." Pan managed to rasp, struggling to loosen his hold.

Slowly letting her go, Gohan turned towards the house. Happy to be free, Pan took to the air.

"Call us as soon as you get there!" he hollered, knowing that her Sayjin hearing would pick up what he had said.

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It had been almost a year since Pan had moved to Florida and begun her studies at the university. Every morning, without fail, her father would call. This morning was no exception. Taking a break from her training, Pan ran back inside to answer her phone.

"Hello, Panny!" her father’s cheerful voice was crystal clear. "How are you doing?"

"I'm doing fine." Pan laughed. "Just as I was doing yesterday."

"I've got some great news, Panny." Gohan rushed on, ignoring the hint that Pan wanted him to stop calling her so much. "Bulma is sending Trunks to lead a seminar at your university next week!"

"Great, Father, but what does that have to do with me?"

"After the seminar, Trunks is going to accompany you home so that you can spend your summer holiday with us."

"Father!" Pan shouted, her anger rising. "I do not need Trunks to baby-sit me! Further more, who said I was coming home for my holiday?"

"Of course, you are." Gohan scoffed. "I mean, you've been gone for so long. Why wouldn't you come to see us? We can't wait to see you again."

"I hadn't decided whether I wanted to spend my holiday in Japan or just stay here." Pan informed him, hiding her anger.

"Well, you have until Trunks has to come back to decide honey." Gohan assured her, playing along, not realizing that Pan was serious.

After saying her good-byes to her father, Pan left to continue her training.

‘Do I really want to go back home?’ she asked herself. ‘Do I really want to go back to being treated like a child? Or will things be different now? It is lonely here. I have no friends, all of them are back in Japan. Maybe when I go back and show them that I have reached level two they will see I am grown up.’

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Seeing that Trunks had concluded with his part in the seminar, Pan approached him.

"Long time, no see." she laughed, as he swept her up into a tight hug.

"Too long." he sighed, setting her down, but keeping an arm around her. "There isn't anyone to help me escape the boredom of work now that you're gone. I've missed you, Pan."

"What about Goten?" Pan pointed out, smiling.

"Chi-Chi finally made him get a job." Trunks laughed, walking with Pan towards a nearby cafe. "She threatened not to cook for him unless he got one."

"Poor Goten." Pan joked, as they entered the cafe. "Let me guess, if he misses a day, he misses a meal?"

"Something like that." Trunks replied, guiding her towards an empty table.

After they had ordered, the two demi-Sayjins continued to talk about what was going on in each of their lives. For Trunks it was more of the same boring stuff, but Pan was working on getting a writing degree and had much to share about the things she had written. She was careful though not to reveal her loneliness or the aching in her heart that was demanding to be filled.

As they walked towards Pan’s house, where Trunks would be staying until the series of seminars was over, their conversation turned to their training. Pan told him that she had reached the second level and showed him her recently acquired tail, but made him swear not to tell anyone. She wanted to surprise them when she went back. That of course got them talking about whether or not Pan was going to be going home with Trunks to spend her holiday in Japan.

Deciding that Pan would tell him when she was ready, the two agreed to spend some time together just hanging out and having fun. No pressures about home or family, just two friends getting together. The week seemed to go by smoothly, if a bit swiftly.

Friday morning, after they had sparred, showered, and eaten, Trunks walked Pan to class. He was startled when he felt like asking her to skip her class and stay with him, but forced himself to remain relaxed. After his short and final part in the seminar, he found himself with nothing to do. Pan still had two more classes before dinner and he didn't feel like wandering the streets. Coming up with an idea, he headed for Pan’s house. Letting himself in, he shrugged off his jacket, loosened his tie and settled himself in front of Pan’s computer.

It didn't take him long to find what he was looking for, and soon he was ensnared by the writings of one Son Pan. The eloquence of her words surprised him, it seemed that she knew as much if not more about turning words around to suit her purpose than he did. The style of her writing and the intensity of the plots made Trunks realize exactly how much Pan had grown. A mere little girl could never have conceived the stories that he was reading.

Wanting to read more, Trunks went through her computer files. Finding a folder marked "Unfinished", he opened it. He poured over the short stories until something caught his eye. "Complete My Soul", was the title, which didn't surprise him. Most of her stories were about romance, tragedy or both. What did surprise him was the fact that it was a folder instead of a document. Entering it, he quickly opened the first document.

What came up on the screen almost made him fall out of his chair. There on the computer screen was irrefutable proof that Pan had indeed left her youth and innocence behind.

"That’s us." Trunks whispered, amazed at the detail of the artist. ‘Why in the world would she have a picture like this of us?’ his mind screamed as his eyes traced her drawn curves. ‘No! You mustn't think of Pan that way!’ his thoughts shouted as he smiled at the sight of his drawn arm circling her waist. ‘This is Gohan’s little girl!’ his mind tried once again to distract his eyes from the half-naked demi-Sayjins in the drawing. He noted, rather absently, that his hold was both protective and possessing.

Trying to find the reason for such a drawing to exist, Trunks closed the document and opened the next one, "Summary".

Toran was a warrior, thrust into the role of the head of a company that he did not want. With his piercing blue eyes he could have anything he desired. And for a reason only he knew, he took advantage of the many women that flocked to his door, leaving behind many broken hearts. None of which had filled the hole in his own...

Kaiya was a mystery that not even her parents could figure out. Once a light hearted little girl, her cold black eyes now betrayed no emotion as she swept through life like an icy fire. And she searched for something that she couldn't even name. Something to fill the void that had opened up within her. Her search led her to him...

But in a world that would try and tear them apart, would the two lovers ever be together as one?

The document was short, but the few words shocked Trunks. It was her and him to a 'T'. Not wanting to learn any new surprises, Trunk quickly exited the folder. Entering one that sounded much safer, "Poetry", he began opening more documents.

Dende seemed to be laughing at him, though, as he came across one titled "Orgasm".

The touch of his hands,

And smell of his scent,

The taste of him,

And feel of his skin,

The sound of his voice,

The very sight of him,

Spiraling intensely,

Through my otherwise calm body.

Passion boiling my blood,

Warming the very marrow of my bones.

Heat radiating out of my center,

Out to all the parts of my body.

Tension builds and piles up inside.

I feel I can't stand much more,

More of the torture.

"Take me! Brand me as yours!"

My cry goes unheeded.

I know this as the passion

Overtakes my mind

And strips me of control.

I cry out his name,

As my body starts to

Convulse and spasm.

He smiles that devilish smile

That I love so much.

And we both say,

Blushing furiously, he closed the document, opening the next one cautiously. After reading for a bit, Trunks decided that he should stop and order dinner for the night. Making sure that the computer was turned off, he searched the phone book for a place to deliver their food.

His timing couldn't have been better, as ten minutes later Pan walked through the door.

"I've ordered dinner for us so that you wouldn't have to cook." Trunks informed her, smirking.

"Great!" Pan responded, smiling. "More time to kick your butt."

"That’s what you think Pan." Trunks growled, heading towards the gravity chamber that Bulma had installed shortly after Pan moved in.

The two sparred vigorously until their food arrived. After their meal was finished, Trunks took Pan’s hand in his.

"You know that I need to know if you're going with me to Japan or not." Trunks gently reminded her. "I'm leaving tomorrow morning."

"I know." Pan sighed, looking down at their joined hands. "It’s just that I've enjoyed being treated like an adult. I don't want to go back to being treated like a child."

"I won't treat you like a child." Trunks assured her, pulling her to sit beside him.

"I know." Pan laughed. "But everyone else will, especially my father. He has never accepted the fact that I am growing up. He can't even accept the fact that I am a warrior in my own right."

"Make you a deal." Trunks suggested, not thinking his plan through very carefully. "We'll go, and if you don't like they way you're being treated, you and I will go on a vacation some where for the rest of your holiday."

"Really?" Pan asked, her brow furrowed in confusion. "You'd give up your only vacation time so that I wouldn't have to stay if I didn't want to?"

"Yeah, why not?" Trunks shrugged. "I need a break from everyone too sometimes."

"Sure, but why take me with you?" Pan was bewildered at his sudden interest in taking her on vacation.

"You're my best friend next to Goten and I don't want to see you unhappy." Trunks smiled, and Pan couldn't resist him.

"Deal." she agreed, shaking his hand. ‘Though I'd rather seal it with a kiss--now where did that come from.’

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It was already afternoon when Trunks and Pan arrived at Capsule Corp. They had decided that Pan would stay there with Trunks and his family. It would be easier than flying over every morning to train, and it just might help her father to realize that she had grown up.

"Hey you two!" Bra squealed, spotting them as they landed. "Pan! It’s so great to have you back!"

"Hey, Bra." Pan laughed lightly, hugging her friend tightly. Bra knew at least at little bit of how it felt to have everyone treat you like you couldn't protect yourself. Bra, however, enjoyed the attention it gained her.

"So, how was Florida?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with hidden meanings. "Meet any hotties?"

"I'll catch you later, Pan." Trunks smirked, leaving her helpless in Bra’s quest to find out about her private life. He had no desire to know any of it, especially after reading the things that Pan had written and finding the rather revealing picture.

"Yeah, Trunks." Pan growled playfully. "Just leave me defenseless in your sister’s clutches."

"I'm sure you'll find a way to pay me back for it." he responded, taking the stairs two at a time as he headed for his room. ‘Why did I say that?’

Bra simply raised an eyebrow in question at the short exchange between her brother and her friend.

"What?" Pan asked, noticing the look Bra was giving her.

"What?!" Bra shouted, not believing that Pan was oblivious to what had just occurred. "What is going on that you're not telling me?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Pan protested as Bra drug her up the stairs towards the many guest rooms.

Finding a clean one directly in between her and her brother’s rooms, Bra pushed Pan into it. Unsure of what was going on, Pan set her bags on the bed and began to unpack.

"So, what did you and my brother do while he was in Florida?" Bra demanded, not liking how nonchalant Pan was acting.

"Nothing big." Pan shrugged, not sure what Bra’s problem was. "We hung out together and trained some. You know, stuff we used to do before I left."

"Right." Bra’s voice dripped sarcasm. "Before you left Trunks didn't flirt with you...and you didn't flirt with anyone."

"I still don't, Bra." Pan snapped, her irritation getting to her. She didn't know how she was going to last a week if this was how things were going to be. "I have no Kami-forsaken idea what you are babbling about!"

"I'm not babbling!" Bra screamed, advancing towards Pan with a threatening look. "I am a Sayjin princess! I do not babble!"

"Then where in the hell would you get the idea that Trunks and I were flirting?" Pan demanded, growling out her question slowly.

"With that whole conversation between the two of you downstairs." Bra shot back. "So stop denying it."

"Trunks and I are friends, nothing more." Pan responded, still growling slowly, as if it would help Bra understand.

"If you won't tell me, I guess I'll have to beat it out of you." Bra snarled, angry and hurt that her friend was keeping something from her.

"What’s all this yelling about?" a familiar voice bellowed from downstairs. "You're interrupting my training with all of this useless noise!"

"Oh, shut it, Vegita." another voice demanded.

Seeing an opportunity to escape Bra’s interrogation, Pan ran down the stairs, Bra close behind. Heading straight for Vegita, she jumped up and caught him in a quick hug.

"Vegita! You just don't know how much I've missed your attitude." she told him, letting go to stand in front of him.

"Have you been keeping up with your training, brat?" he inquired, heading back out to his gravity room.

"Yes!" Pan answered excitedly. "And I have something to show you."

Hearing this, Bra and Bulma stepped outside to see what was up. Trunks chose that moment to make his appearance, late for his training with his father.

"What is she talking about, Trunks?" Bulma demanded from the doorway to the kitchen.

"You'll see." Trunks replied, a bit smugly.

"Well, get on with it!" Vegita commanded, his limited patience gone.

Trying not to laugh at the vein in Vegita’s head that had started to throb, Pan began to summon her power. After turning super Sayjin, she moved a little further away from the house, not wanting to damage it. Continuing to raise her power, Pan ascended to level two and let her tail wind it's way out of her shirt where she had been hiding it.

"Sweet Kami." Bulma gasped, her hand over her mouth in shock.

"Damn, bitch!" Bra shouted. "Now he’s gonna expect me to do that!"

Neither Trunks nor Vegita said a word, but they were thinking lot of them.

‘She’s even more beautiful like this.’ Trunks’ mind started it’s little war over Pan again.

‘Stop! She is still Gohan’s daughter!’

‘Yeah, but I like her...’

‘As a friend, nothing more.’

‘Yeah, but she’s all grown up...’

‘All the more reason to control yourself. Don't fall into that trap. She’s too young for you.’

Pushing these thoughts to the back of his mind, Trunks approached the female demi-Sayjin. "Want to spar?"

"Sure!" Pan laughed and led the way into the gravity room eager to get started. "Now I can get you back for earlier."

Following her, Trunks just laughed powering up a bit and allowing Pan the opportunity to lower her power to match his. Watching, Bra frowned. She didn't like what she was seeing between her friend and her brother. They'd never make it. He'd use her and she'd get nothing from him. Turning, she stormed into the house, Bulma calling after her, trying to figure out what was wrong.

Vegita had been thinking the whole time, not even aware of what had occurred after Pan had gone level two.

‘The woman must have been correct. Sayjin and human blood do not mix well, instead the Sayjin blood takes over gradually. That’s the only way to explain how this brat has a tail when she wasn't born with one. I can't believe the brat made it to level two as well. I wonder how powerful she will get.’

Vegita’s thoughts were interrupted by the appearance of the other fighters.

"We felt a new power, Vegita." Krillin stated, knowing enough about the prince to explain his uninvited presence.

"What’s going on?" Gohan demanded, not giving anyone a chance to explain. "Where’s Pan? I called her this morning, but she wasn't there. What has your no good son done with her?"

Hearing her father’s voice, Pan reopened the door to the gravity room. Feeling a need to give her his silent support, Trunks stood behind her, clearly visible to others outside.

"I'm right here, Father." she called out to him. "And you know that Trunks would never hurt me, he’s one of my closest friends."

"Panny!" Gohan smiled, seeing his daughter was safe. "Why didn't you let us know you were coming? Your mother and I have been worried about you."

At this, Vegita snorted in disgust. "You should be doing something useful instead of worrying about the girl."

Surprised, Pan quickly glanced at Vegita. ‘So now I'm girl instead of brat?’ she wondered. ‘I guess that means I'm not a child to him any more. Two down, more to go.’

Vegita’s comment had started an argument that Pan wanted to stop. Stepping away from the gravity room, she powered back up to level two, taking everyone but Vegita and Trunks by surprise.

"Is this the power you felt?" Pan growled in anger, breaking the sudden silence that had descended upon her transformation. "Do you feel this Father?"

"Hai." Gohan whispered, his face white with shock.

Powering down to normal, Pan turned to Trunks. "The moment of truth." she stated flatly.

After everyone had regained their senses, Gohan swept his daughter up in a tight embrace. "I'm so proud of you, Panny." he gushed. "My little Panny finally reached level two. Who helped you?"

"You don't want to know." Pan answered cryptically.

"Ready to spar yet?" Vegita asked, knowing just what to say to start trouble.

"What?!" Gohan yelled in disbelief. "You're not serious. Panny can't spar with you, she won't even be able to stand the gravity! You'll kill her."

"I wasn't asking you." Vegita sneered at him, disgusted by his belief that his daughter still needed his protection.

"Father." Pan growled, an frown on her face that was a little too much like Vegita’s for everyone else’s comfort. "I have been training while I was away at school...in my own gravity room. And yes, Vegita, I am ready to spar.

Turning on her heal, Pan retreated back into the gravity room, Vegita following after her. After the door had closed behind them, Trunks turned to Gohan.

"Did you really believe it when you said that my father would kill Pan?" he asked, furious at Gohan’s lack of trust. "Or that Pan couldn't handle the gravity?"

"Yes." Gohan answered simply, settling himself down to wait until his daughter exited the gravity room.

"Panny sure has grown up since we last saw her." Krillin pondered. "I'm sure that at level two she can last against Vegita for a while."

The rest of the group slowly left, expressing their agreement with Krillin as they passed him. When neither Gohan nor Trunks responded, Krillin made his way home as well.

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It had been hours since the two Sayjins had secluded themselves in the gravity room, Gohan and Trunks had sat outside the whole time, watching the light of ki blasts flicker out of the window. Both Sayjins tensed as the flickering and the gravity machine’s whirling ceased.

Slowly Pan opened the door, letting the light seep in gradually so that her eyes could adjust to the brightness. Not sparing a single glance to the two male Sayjins watching her, she headed toward the kitchen door. Vegita waited until she was out of earshot before leaving the gravity room.

"Boy." he growled, walking up to his son. "After dinner you and the girl in the gravity room."

Trunks nodded in acknowledgement and followed his father into the house. Gohan, seeing that he was being ignored, debated whether or not he should try to talk to them. Realizing that Pan had not been hurt when she left the gravity room, he decided to leave. As he took off he thought to himself, ‘I'll call later tonight and tell Panny it’s time for her to come home.

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"It’s about time you all came in!" Bulma shouted, as her mate and their son entered the kitchen.

"Woman, we were sparring." Vegita growled, liking the fact that she still cared enough to get mad at him after all the time they had been together. Giving no further comment, he went to clean himself up. knowing that dinner would be ready soon, if it was not already.

"Sorry, Mom." Trunks called out on his way to his room. "I wanted to see how Pan did against Father."

"Well tell her to get down here when she’s cleaned up!" Bulma yelled back. "And get your sister. Dinner’s ready!"

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Dinner was quiet that night. Bra was occasionally shooting death glares at Pan. Trunks and Vegita were comfortable with the silence. Bulma was annoyed, but remained calm, still trying to figure out what was wrong between Bra and Pan. Pan, herself, was thankful for the silence, but a bit uncomfortable with Bra’s attention.

After everyone was finished eating, Vegita, Trunks and Pan left for the gravity arena, a place Bulma had made for them to spar in. It was much bigger than the gravity room and was equipped with an observation room. Pan and Trunks entered the arena, as Vegita slipped into the observation room.

They sparred for half an hour before Vegita entered the arena itself. As he had watched them, Vegita had made several mental notes on things that the two demi-Sayjins needed to work on. They listened and watched attentively as Vegita showed them how to correct their mistakes.

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"Hello?" Bulma gasped for breath as she picked up the phone on the fifth ring. ‘Can't anyone else in this house answer the damn phone?’

"Hello, Bulma." came Gohan’s voice on the other end. "Is Pan still there?"

"Yes." Bulma answered, wondering why he was asking such a question. "She planned to stay here during her holiday."

"Could you tell her that it’s time for her to come home?" Gohan asked, completely ignoring Bulma’s last comment.

"Let me get her for you." Bulma suggested, extracting herself from a possibly sticky situation. "Pan! Phone!"

"I got it!" Pan’s voice came from the other end of the house.

"It’s time for you to come home, Pan." Gohan told her, not wanting to waste anymore time. "You can see your friends tomorrow."

"No." Pan responded, her anger rising. "I am staying here for my holiday. You can see me tomorrow. Bulma is throwing a party. I'm sure I'll see you then." Not giving her father a chance to argue further, Pan hung up.

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It was late, and Pan couldn't sleep. She kept thinking about the way her father had called to tell her to come home. He had acted as if she was still ten years old! Between that and the way Bra was acting towards her, Pan seriously doubted that she would last the whole summer there.

Sensing Vegita’s ki rising, Pan went out to find that he had begun his training. Stretching a little, Pan went to see if he wanted to spar for a while.

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‘Agh! I'm going to be late!’ Pan thought, searching through her clothing capsules. She, Vegita and Trunks had trained all day, and now she was trying to find clothes suitable to wear to Bulma’s party that was starting in ten minutes.

‘Trust Bulma to make it a semi-formal affair.’ Pan growled to herself. Finally, she popped the last capsule, relieved to find that it contained her very small wardrobe of dress clothes. ‘For a minute I was scared I would have to borrow something from Bra or Bulma.’

Searching through the small selection of clothes, Pan found what she was looking for and quickly dressed. She completed her attire with the only pair of dress shoes Bra had been able to talk her into buying. Thankfully, they went well with all of the dressy outfits Pan owned.

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"Hello, Bulma." Gohan smiled as the hostess of the evening answered the door. His polite smile fell as he looked around the room. "Where’s Pan?"

"She hasn't come down yet." Bulma answered, dismissing his question as unimportant. After a few minutes of mingling with her guests, Bulma announced dinner. "Since dinner is ready, let’s head out back."

"Bulma?" Gohan tapped her shoulder to get her attention. "I haven't seen Pan yet. Is something wrong?"

"Oh no, Gohan." Bulma shooed him towards the back door. "I'm sure she’s just running late." Turning to the rest of the group, she called out, "Trunks!"

"Yes, mother?" the lavender haired demi-Sayjin inquired as he moved towards her.

"Would you please be so kind as to extract Pan from her room?" It wasn't a question judging from the tone of her voice.

Trunks simply nodded and made his way to the stairs. Satisfied that Pan would be down shortly, Bulma left to settle her other guests down to dinner. Shooting Trunks’ back a glare, Gohan followed.

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Trunks stopped at the top pf the stairs. Not more than four feet in front of him stood an angel, at least that’s what he thought. His eyes raked over the form in front of him before blinking and retracing their route.

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