Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Love's Complications ❯ Secrets From a Father ( Chapter 4 )

Secrets From a Father

 

Vegeta woke up as the sun was lazily lingering on the horizon. He must have been more drained than he originally thought. He stood up and tried to sense Pan's ki. He became slightly concerned when he couldn't feel it. He walked quickly over to where she had been training. Pan was lying on the grass that was quickly gathering dew. She had worn herself out to the point where she had fallen asleep. Vegeta smirked at his tiny student.

Carefully so that he didn't wake her, he picked her up and carried her to the house. He walked up the stairs slowly and found a room close to Bra's that was currently vacant. He placed her on the bed and threw a blanket roughly over her. In her sleep she sighed comfortably as she rolled over. Vegeta was satisfied that she was adequately accommodated for and decided to take his leave.

He walked back down stairs and into the kitchen. He went straight to the fridge and found a whole cooked chicken inside. He took the whole platter out and set it down in front of himself on the table. He also had a bottle of coke and he began to hungrily devour both.

Trunks and Goten were in the living room watching television and chatting amongst themselves. Vegeta finished his meal and decided to just sit alone in the dark, rather than join the boys in front of the television. They would only ask further questions about his new protégé, and he could really not be bothered right now. Sleeping against that tree all afternoon had left the older Saiyan rather sore. He cursed himself inward again, as he shifted his weight in the chair and felt a twang on pain in his lower back. Vegeta tried to block out the background noise of the two boys laughing insistently at whatever brainless comedy they were currently watching.

Suddenly the once rather quiet house lit up with sound. Bulma could be heard chatting away to someone. However, she didn't give the other person a chance to respond or speak as she continued on. They must have been walking quickly as the voices seemed to near the kitchen swiftly. Finally she came into view and the other person was Gohan. She was talking about work still as Gohan nodded the whole time in agreement. Vegeta watched the younger calculated. Gohan would not understand what he was doing with his daughter. He mustn't find out.

“Hey Vegeta," Gohan spoke to the proud prince. All Gohan got was a grunt and he didn't even look at him. Vegeta was deep in thought of how he could keep this from Gohan. Gohan laughed Son-style before looking at Bulma. Bulma just laughed nervously. She was used to her husband being rude to her work collegues, but this was Gohan. He had saved his life several times over the years, and protected his own loved ones. There was no need to be rude. She immediately tried to difuse the awkward situation.

“Trunks!" She called out to her son, wandering where he was.

“Yeah Mum?!" Trunks called from the living room, giving no indication that he wanted to get up and miss the next big joke of the programme he was deeply immersed in. Bulma sighed in frustration. When did her children grow up and start to ignore her. It seemed like only yesterday that they were small children who came to her every beck and call. It must have the influence of their father. Vegeta had always ignored her, only when it suited his best interests did he invest his time in her.

“Get in here, boy!" Vegeta yelled impatiently, as he watched Bulma slowly getting flustered. Immediately Trunks appeared and Goten with him. Bulma suddenly wished her son feared her as well, perhaps then he would do as he was told.

“Goten," Gohan exclaimed, surprised to see his younger brother. Goten smiled nervously sensing the hostility in the room. Bulma was staring at Vegeta annoyed. Vegeta stared at the wall, while Trunks stared at his father.

"Omigosh, where is Pan!" Gohan suddenly burst out. He had forgotten about her completely. He began to panic as he realized that every possible person who could be looking after his daughter was currently present in this room, as she wasn't here. Everyone looked at him except Vegeta who still looked at the wall silently. Trunks then looked at his father.

"She didn't get lost did she?" Bulma asked concerned. Gohan was growing increasingly worried for his daughter. Where could she have gone? She knew not to wander off alone. He had always told her stay close. Immediately the worried parent came out in him as he began to imagine all the worst case scenerios. Immediately he thoughts switched into actions as he formulated where everyone should start to look in an attempt to find her.

“Goten, Trunks, why didn't you two look after her? You have to grow up and realize what is going on around you," Gohan lectured both of them angrily. He was really only angry with himself though. He should have left her at home where she would be safe with her mother. Goten looked at his feet ashamed as Trunks kept staring at his father.

“And you..." Gohan started at Vegeta. Vegeta looked up, unconcerned while Bulma and Gohan were getting frantic.

"Tell him," Trunks spoke up suddenly. Vegeta shot a glance at his son.

“Vegeta?" Bulma questioned confused. Gohan stared daggers at Vegeta. He didn't want to think about his daughter in the hands of Vegeta. Vegeta stood up and silently walked out of the kitchen. Everyone looked at each other in confusion and then Trunks began to follow him. Finally everyone else followed after them.

They all walked up the stairs and into the vacant room that Vegeta had just entered. Everyone looked in shock and relief. Pan was lying in the bed sleeping soundly. Vegeta stood over her and smirked. That shut them all up.

"What happened?" Gohan asked concerned.

"She must have been tired," Trunks spoke up from behind Gohan. He turned and looked at Trunks who was still staring at his father. Vegeta was still looking at Pan. Gohan was beginning to feel uncomfortable with Vegeta staring at his daughter.

“Vegeta," Gohan spoke up, he wanted an explanation. Vegeta looked at the younger warrior still smirking. Gohan was getting angry.

"What happened?" Gohan asked again.

“She was tired, so I brought her up here to sleep,” Vegeat simply stated. Gohan looked to Trunks for agreement to the statement, but he was just staring at his father.

“Well thank you, Vegeta," Gohan stuttered nervously before walking to the opposite side of the bed from Vegeta and looked at him. He was still smirking. Gohan pulled back the blanket and was surprised. Pan's dress was gone and she was wearing some of Trunks' old training gi. She was covered in grass stains and mud. He looked at Vegeta questioningly.

“She was outside and I just hated to see that beautiful dress get dirty," Vegeta told him sarcastically. Gohan still looked confused. His attention was taken away from Vegeta when Pan began to stir. She wiped her eyes and yawned before stretching her arms above her head.

“Daddy!" Pan squealed happily, before throwing her arms around him. Gohan hugged her tightly and protectfully. He picked her up and placed her on her feet on the floor so he could get a better look at her.

“Where are your shoes?" Gohan asked as he looked at her bare feet. Pan shrugged and looked to Vegeta for the answer.

“Outside," Vegeta said simply. Gohan didn't really want to ask why. Vegeta looked at the floor and saw the training weights. He quickly returned his eyes to Gohan while pushing the weights under the bed with his foot. Trunks watched his father from afar and was annoyed. He could tell that he had no intention of telling Gohan the truth.

“Well time to go, honey," Gohan said. Pan nodded and yawned. Vegeta cringed at the word 'honey'. No wonder Gohan hadn't trained her, he made her soft, just like he had become, he thought to himself as he looked at Gohan who was kneeling on one knee to be at his daughter's level. And he was once the strongest of us all, Vegeta frowned.

Gohan picked her up and steadied her on his hip. He walked out of the room and everyone followed, Vegeta being last.

“So what did you do today?" Gohan asked her curiously. Pan wasn't really paying attention to her father. Vegeta suddenly looked up at Pan who was looking at him smiling widely. Vegeta panicked. As calmly as he could he raised his index finger to his lips to signal no talking.

“Nothing," Pan told her father sweetly upon receiving the gesture loud and clear. Vegeta smirked and Trunks turned to see his father doing it. Upon reaching the door, Gohan set Pan on the ground again.

“Say goodbye to everyone," Gohan told her.

“Goodbye," Pan said loudly to everyone and then she walked over to Vegeta. Gohan watched this completely surprised. She used to be apprehensive around him, but something had changed that. Perhaps because he was watching out for her today. Vegeta bent down to her level. “Bye Sensei," she whispered innocently in his ear. Vegeta nodded silently as he felt everyone's eyes on him. He willed himself not to blush in embarrassment, but failed.

“Training is our secret," Vegeta whispered in her ear seriously. Pan giggled and nodded. Vegeta stood straight again and looked down at Pan. “Bye, brat," Vegeta put simply. Gohan picked her up protectfully as he stared at Vegeta. He didn't want Pan near such a man as this. Vegeta was not a good influence for his daughter. He knew what Vegeta was like. He had grown up with him. Seen what he was capable of.

 

Gohan said goodbye to everyone before he took off into the sky.