Pieces Of You
by Angel-chan

Chapter 1: If you only knew
 

The sun rose for only an instant in the starry sky and then vanished behind a billow of clouds. This sunset
glitter of activity was less to be desired as the woman stood at the high paned window. The horizen darkened with
the threat of rain as tiny drops of percipitation began to patter against the glass. The evening light glinted off a
circular band that she absentmindly twisted round and round her finger. Her mind kept circling around one thoughts
she refused to admit to. She let out a long sigh and turned her back on the day retreating to the mohagany bed. She
slipped under the covers and let the waves of sleep wash over her slowly. Ten months. He had been gone so long;
not even a letter or kind word to let her know that he was safe. Why is it that all the men in her life run off into space
to fight evil and get killed? can't they once act normal and stay on earth. She knew Chikyuu must not be an
interesting planet but at least it was home. She kinda like it in her brand new apartment in the centre of Satan city, the
feel of freedom was sharp and bittersweat. Marron Kuriren burroughed deeper under the covers trying to forget the
images that came to her mind and the man that was not always far behind in her thoughts. Trunks Vegeta-Briefs.
They had always been infrequent friends or lovers over the timespan of their youth. Marron looked grimly at the
heavy gold signet ring that rested snuggly on her finger. But this was a promise he gave her.

"Marron! honey! are you in there!" a knock came loudly at the door and a piercing voice that invaded her
thoughts. She hurried out of bed in an upheavel of sheets and ran to the door unlocking it. Juuhachigou stood with
her arms crossed over her chest, gold hair pulled back in a severe bun. "Kasan? what are you doing here?" her voice
was full of unexpected surprise. Android 18 brushed past her into the apartment. "Oh god how can you stand living
here." Marron rolled her eyes and waiting for the familiar speech from her mother. "I really wished you'd come back
to Kame House with me and your father." Marron walked over to the bed and threw a robe on. "I like it here, besides
it's closer to my job." she breezed past her mother and poured a cup of coffee for both of them. "You didn't answer
my question what are you doing here?" 18 smoothed her wrinkled jeans and sat complactly drinking the black
swirling substance. "I have news about Goku." Marron put down her cup and took a seat facing her mother. "Go
on." the pause was long."They are all safe." it was as if she were waiting to exhale and then it came with relief and
happiness. "Well then Goku must be alive, are they returning to earth?" 18 nodded. Marron let a smile crease her
lips. "Don't you see! kasan , i knew he would come back....i knew it." she rummaged quickly through her closet and
pulled out a pink dress.

"Let me change and we'll go." 18 laughed. "Marron, it's not that easy." Marron stopped her ministrations. "What?"
the blonde haired woman walked over to her daughter's side. "Goku can't return until he has all the black star
dragonballs, they only have five now." A roll of thunder crashed above them, the lights flickered and then plunged
them into darkness.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
 
 
 
 

Space
 
 

Pan opened her eyes and rolled over out of her metal bed that was built into the walls like shelves. "I'm
bored." she annouced to no one in peticuliar. "Well maybe if you helped me with the damaged pod you wouldn't
be." she whirled around and let her vision fall on the lavender-haired man standed in the chamber doorway. "Shut up
Trunks-kun i didn't ask you." she stomped over to the door and pressed the button that made it close tightly. She let
her back rest against the metal ediface, her cheeks a rosy color in the dim light.She heard his laughter all the way
down the corridor and then all was silent once more. "Stupid Baka." she slipped back into her hidaway and took out
her notepad. It was her personal memoirs of the trip thus far, badly written with doodles lining the margins but it was
hers. She flipped to a nice clean sheet planning to spite the lavender-haired boy with words. But her pencil strangely
refused to write a single word. It was strange to think that this trip was more of a dream to her than reality. After all,
her grandfather is younger than she is! Deciding she wasn't in the mood she hid the notebook and exited her
quarters to go in search for Trunks. At least maybe she could verbally harrass him some more.

Trunks wiped the sweat from his brow and took off his Capsule Corporation shirt. The pod was alot worse
than he orignally thought. The console was busted for one and the internal combustion was out of wack. It would
take him days maybe weeks to fix which ruled out them probbing the surfaces of any nearby planets for dragonballs.
In short they were stuck on the spaceship until it was fixed. "Trunks-kun?" he turned to see Pan standing a few
inches away. He was so absorbed in his work he didn't even sense her ki. Her cheeks were a funny rogue color and
her eyes were brighter than usual. "Yeah what do ya want kiddo." she flinched. "Don't call me that." she seethed
the words through clenched teeth. "Sorry, what's up?" she crossed her arms over her chest. "I came to help."
nothing passed between them save the question of what goes where. They worked in silence. Pan looked up from
tightening a bolt and realize Trunks was standing over her, a massive shadow, watching her work. "I'm finished." she
stood and wiped the sweat from her forehead."Take five okay,you've earned it." Trunks ran his fingers through his
hair and watched Pan leave in search for food. She had really grown up since he last saw her and he realize that she
was becoming a woman. An oddly attractive woman. He brushed the idea aside as being rediculis. Pan was the
second little sister he never had and an annoying conterpart on their journey. She had snuck aboard the ship and
took Goten's rightful place. He turned his attention back to the pod pulling a red wire and pressing a button or two.
Goku entered the "mechanic's only" room and stood at Trunk's side. "How bad is it?" they both peared into the pod.
"Bad, it won't be fix for another two weeks give or take a few days." Goku stood roughly at the height of his waist
but still admitted a sense of unrivaled attority he had always.

"Trunks-kun, there is something i've been meaning to talk with you about." Trunks put down the wrench and pulled
up a piece of ground beside his friend. "What is it Goku-sama?" the man turned boy smoothed his orange gi. "Well
it's about Pan." he looked up directly into Trunks' eyes making him flinch. "I know you have no love for the girl, but
it seems she has developed a liking to you." Goku's cheeks were beginning to turn red. "And well....gee...i want us to
all get along on this trip it's important you see to the earth and me." Trunks nodded. "I know i want to help
Goku-sama." Goku stood his back facing him. "I think it's best you tell Pan how you feel so that she doesn't get her
hopes up." the black-haired saiy-jinn let his fists form into balls at his sides. "But if you hurt her i will not be
responsible." he turned, his eyes full of deadly warning. "You understand, Pan is my grandaughter,she deserves
better."

Trunks flicked on the light and the familiar image of his room came into focus. There was the metal bed built-in to the
wall as to make as much room as possible in the tight quarters, the bathroom, the wooden desk where had had
started writing letters home. He went over to it and fondly touched the parchment. There was a letter to Bra and
Goten, one to his mother, and...... He looked up sharply. Where is it? he searched through the drawers and under the
desk. It's gone. "Looking for this." he whirled around. Pan stood in the doorway waving the offending letter in her
hand. "My my my Trunks-kun you are a good writer." his cheeks turned a deep fushia. "GIVE IT BACK NOW." she
shook her head. "Come and get it." he lunged at her trying to pry the letter loose from her iron grip. "Damn you Pan
stay out of my stuff and my life." she stopped and let go of the paper. It slowly fell to the floor the words Dear
Marron jumping up from the page. "If thats what you want." she turned and pressed the button. "Wait Pan i didn't
mean that." he grabbed her arm. "LET GO of me Trunks, don't worry i won't bother you any more." Trunks ran his
fingers through his hair. "Damn it Pan you are the most bossiest, fiery, stubborn, girl.....woman i have ever met, you
drive me mad." Pan snatched her hand away. "And you say one thing and mean another Trunks, i can't stand you."
he pulled her close. "Well now that we've got that out of the way, tell me what your doing with my letter." Pan
blushed. "you like her don't you, Marron i mean." he had no answers for her instead he pulled her closer and she
didn't dare to breath lest it all be a dream and shatter to pieces.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Miss Kuriren?" Marron looked up to see the receptionist glaring down at her with a distasteful
glance. "Daydreaming will not get you into medical school." Marron rose and took up her position
wheeling a patient into his new room far away from the trama of intensive care. LaFayette Hospital was
like thousands of others in Satan City but here she had gotten an intership under Doctor Reese. The
patient was a young boy about three years old. His leg had been broken by some fall or so the report on
the bed rail said. "Okay.....Gohen....we need to get some blood from you today." the boy cowered from
her."No....please no blood." she smiled. "Are you afraid of needles?" reluctantly he nodded. "Well don't
worry this one doesn't hurt at all, i promise." Gohen tensed up but then let her see his arm. When it was
over he laid back down on the fresh white sheets. "I....think i know you....from somewhere." she paused
and slowly turned toward him. "I saw you once, at my party, you were dressed in pink." she smiled. "That's
right Gohen." the boy rolled over. 'I WANT my mamie!" he let out a long cry. Marron opened the door and
peared out into the long white hallway. She made out the familiar shapes of Goten and Bra. "Hai, don't
worry little one they are coming." she slipped out of the room and down the hall before she was
recognized.

"How did you find me?" "My son never lies." "Oh i see" "Why did you run away?" "I didn't want to
spoil anything" Goten shook his head. "Your a piece of work Marron,why wouldn't we want you to be
there? we picked this hospital because we knew he would get the best care with you around." she let out a
sigh. "Why didn't you warn me, i didn't realize he look so much like...." she tried to hide her blush. "like
Trunks, yes i know the resemblence is striking." the boy had inherited the lavender hair from his
grandmother that was a trademark of his heritage and the cyan eyes. Goten put a hand gentlely on her
shoulder. "Don't worry he'll be back soon." she took off her hat and let her long gold hair fall down her
back. "That's what i'm afraid of, don't you see Goten, space can change a man, i've seen it too many
times." Bra appeared and caught the end of the conversation. "Marron have you ever known my brother to
change?" she smoothed back a lock of her blue hair. "Now there is a certin boy in there that wishes to see
his godmother." and she recalled with utter clarity the first great shock of her life....."I am only human." the
words spited her as she realized the frailty of her own being. She wanted to be in space searching for
dragonballs, she wanted adventure, she wanted away from this prison they called a hospital. Adventures
were for superheroes and saiy-jins with unchalledged strength. And the everyday life became encrusted
with the unfairness of consequence.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Author's Note:

1) I don't in any way, shape, or form own dbz or any of it's characters. They are the property of Akira
Toriyama and all other trademarks.
2) This fic is dedicated to Lil angel, My best friend who rocks ^-^