Trunks looked in the mirror one last time.  He was incredibly nervous.  Why should I be?  She is out of college now, after all... He fixed his hair.  He straightened his clothes.  He swallowed.  He fixed his hair again.  Just go!  he told himself.  Trunks took a deep breath and jumped out his window into the evening sky.
 

     He raised a trembling hand and knocked on the door.  His throat was very dry.  He wiped his suddenly sweaty hands on his pants.  The door opened.  "Hi Pan," he squeaked.
     "Hey Trunks, what's up?  I can't really do anything right now, I'm swamped in job applications and my dad's helping me," Pan said.
     "I know...Ok...Ok...yeah...Ok...that's good..."
     "So...what'd you come over here to tell me?"  Pan asked.
     "Uh...nothing really...just...um..." Trunks tried to swallow and found he couldn't.
    "Trunks?  What?  I'm sorry, but I really have to get back to this paperwork."
     "Y-yeah, I know...uh...yeah..."
    "Trunks?  Come on, spit it out, dude!" Pan teased.
     "Uhhhhhh.........." Trunks stammered.  "D-....sh-...km...can you come outside for a minute?"
     "Yeah, sure, but again, I have like, no time, I have to go..." Pan said, getting kind of annoyed.  She stepped outside and closed the door behind her.  "Ok Trunks.  What is it?  My dad's going to get mad if I don't come back, and I really need his help."
     You can still back out of this, you know...calm down...don't act stupid...you know what you wanna say, right?  You only practiced it about 50 times in the mirror last night...Trunks thought.  He opened his mouth to say something but was surprised when only a dull hiss emerged from his lips.
     "Trunks?  Are you Ok?"  Pan asked.
    Trunks nodded.
     "Ok, good, because I really have to go!  Trunks, say what you have to say, please!  I have to get back to these job applications!"
     "Uhh...ok...then...can we go for a walk?"
     "Now?  Trunks...my job applications, remember?"  Pan wondered just how many times she would have to repeat this.
     "Oh...ok...then how about tomorrow?"
     "Can't.  Job interview."
     "Well, the next day?"
     Pan thought.  "No, Mom's taking me shopping."
     "The next?!"
     "Trunks, please, can you just say what you want?"
     Trunks took a deep breath.  "PanIwasthinkingwillyoumarryme?"  He asked quickly.
    "What?"  Pan asked, leaning forward.
     "Will you marry me?"  Trunks asked, slower this time.
    Pan was in shock.  This whole time the poor guy wanted to ask to marry her and here she was acting like a jerk because of some job applications!  "Oh my God Trunks I am SOOO sorry! I had no idea you were going to ask me to marry you!  I have been acting like such a jerk this entire time and you were acting so nervous I'm a MORON!  I should have realized what you were trying to say oh gosh I am SOOOO incredibly SORRY!"
     Trunks shifted uncomfortably.  "So...uh...will you?"
    Pan blinked.  "Of course!"
     Trunks sighed in relief.  He grinned at Pan.  "So I guess this means we're getting married, huh?"
     Pan smiled back.  "I...guess so!  Um...but I really do need to get back..."
    "I understand.  I'll call you tomorrow then, K?  We can start making plans as soon as possible."
     "Sounds great!  Talk to you later!"  Pan said. They kissed, and Pan watched as Trunks flew off.  She opened the door to her home.  She felt like she was on a cloud.  She closed the door softly behind her.  She paused there, taking in the whole moment.  She then leaned her back against the door and shouted, at the top of her lungs, "I'M GETTING MARRIED!!!"

* * * * *

     Trunks couldn't wipe the grin off his face.  He did somersaults in the sky, showing his elation.  He walked into his Capsule Corp. whistling.
     Bra and Bulma were in the living room watching TV when Trunks walked in.  "Hi, guys!  Great night to be alive, isn't it?  What're you two up to?" Trunks asked happily.
     Bulma and Bra stared in shock.  I wonder if he...Bra thought.  Could he?  She regained her voice before her mother.          "Trunks...by any chance, did you just...?"
     Trunks nodded.  "Yeah!  You got it!  Pan and I are getting married!"
     Bulma jumped up and hugged her son.  "So that's why you've been so nervous for the past couple days!  Trunks, I'm thrilled for both of you!  Have you made any preparations yet?" She asked, with tears in her eyes.
     Trunks made a face.  "God, Mom, I just asked her!  Of course we haven't made any preparations!"
     Bra stepped in front of him.  "Then leave it to us!  You guys don't have to worry at all.  Mom and I'll make the biggest bash of the century for you guys!"
     Trunks grinned again and half hugged her.  "Thanks, Bra."
     Bra wriggled with joy.  "This is gonna ROCK, Trunks, mark my words!"
 
 

    "T-t-t-to who?"  Gohan asked stupidly.  Pan looked at her father like he was crazy.
     "Pan, this is fantastic!" Videl jumped up - wisely ignoring Gohan -  and hugged her daughter tightly to make up for her husband's shock.
     "You're what?" Gohan asked, his mouth hanging open.
     Pan went over and hugged her father.  "I'm getting married, Daddy!  Trunks just asked me!"
     Gohan didn't know what to say.  "Trunks and...marry...you...?"
     "Yeah!  Oh my gosh, I'm so excited!"
     Videl dabbed at her eyes.  "Pan, it's so hard to believe you're a young woman now.  It seems like such a short time ago I remember you two going out for the first time..."
     Pan looked at her mother, confused.  "No you don't...you don't remember when we first went out..."
     Videl raised her eyebrows and gave her daughter a knowing look.  "Oh don't I?"
     "Aren't you excited for me, Dad?" Pan quickly changed the subject.
     "Well...yeah...I just...can't believe...wow!"  Gohan hugged his daughter.  "Of course I'm excited for you, sweetie!"
     "This is so great!  I've got to call Winn and Bra...Dad, you remember Winn, don't you?  She hasn't been over for a while."
     Gohan rolled his eyes.  "Winn isn't someone you forget easily, trust me."
     Pan laughed.  "Anyway, now seems like an excellent time to catch up...the job applications can wait, right Dad?  Great!  Goodnight!"  Pan raced off to her room.
     Gohan sat down in a chair with a thump.  "Videl...she's..."
     Videl patted her husband's hand.  "I know, honey.  But she isn't a little girl anymore.  I'm honestly thrilled for her, and you should be too.  She and Trunks are madly in love and have been for some time.  It was only a matter of waiting until one of them got up the nerve to propose."
     "I am happy for them, Videl.  Just...where has the time gone?"  Gohan asked, rubbing his forehead.
     "You're acting as though we're seventy or something!  Calm down!  You'll have plenty of time to worry about that later.  Now come on, let's go to bed and wait until our beloved daughter has used up half a year's salary on phone bills."  Gohan nodded and followed his wife up the stairs, down the hall, and past the room with the hysteric giggling coming from the other side.
 
 

     "So...um...Mom..." Trunks began hesitatingly.  He sat down at the breakfast table.  "Have you...I dunno...told Dad yet?"
     Bulma sat down wearily.  The helper robots set down breakfast for the two of them and buzzed away.  She sighed.  "No, I haven't."
     "Um...are you going to?"
     "I'm not sure whether to make you tell him and face him like a man, or if I should tell him myself and ensure your safety," Bulma responded thoughtfully.
     "I'd appreciate the latter..." Trunks said weakly.
     Bulma smiled.  "Don't worry.  I'll tell him myself.  You have other things to worry about.  For instance, getting in touch with Pan about colors for the wedding, when it's going to take place, the flowers, the location, the..."
     Trunks felt his eyes glaze over as his mother started listing things he had to do.  He was excited, of course, but... It was always the "but".  Oh, forget it!  He thought. I'm getting married!
     "-The bridesmaid!  Of course!  You need to talk to Pan about her bridesmaid!"  Bulma exclaimed.
     Trunks snapped back into reality.  "Right!  Of course, I'll do just that," he said, somewhat sarcastically.  "Mom, I just asked her a few months ago, remember?"
     "Yes, Trunks, but really!  Get the ball rolling, it's time to start thinking about these things!"
     Trunks sighed.  "Of course, Mom.  I'm gonna stretch a little bit in the gravity room before I call her, though.  I've been slacking off in my exercising."
     "All right.  But finish your breakfast!"  Bulma ordered.
     Trunks shoveled some food in his mouth before going to the gravity room.  He sighed.  The truth was that Trunks didn't really know how to approach Pan anymore.  Am I just supposed to call her up like always, say 'Hey Pan, it's me, can I come over?', or am I supposed to say something a little more...endearing?  He had no idea.  He stepped into the gravity room, set the controls, and wondered.
 
 

     Pan kept glancing at her phone.  Was he going to call?  Would they just start coming to each other's houses, unannounced?  How am I supposed to act, anyway?  God, I'm more nervous now than I was when we went out for the first time!  She looked at the job applications in her hands.  Was she really going to need a job, once they were married?  Well, that's a selfish thought, Pan.  Whether you actually will or not, you'd better have at least something.
     "Pan?"  asked Gohan, gently.  Pan had been starting to get that vacant look on her face the way she did when she was either totally out of it or sick.
     Pan jumped.  "What?"
     "The job applications, remember?"
     "Oh..."  she laughed.  "Right.  Ok, what about this one?  Heh, can you see me as a dentist?"  She threw that particular paper away.
     "No, but Pan, what exactly are you thinking about?  Yes, I know Trunks," He said as she opened her mouth to respond.  "Are you nervous?"
     Pan laughed again.  "About getting married?  Not in the slightest!  I feel so young for saying so, but I'm way more worried about Trunks calling me then Trunks marrying me right now."
     Gohan nodded.  "I understand.  But don't worry about it.  After you guys begin preparations, you won't have enough time or energy to feel worried."
     He seems so positive.  Pan worried. It seems like some kind of omen...
 
 

     "GYAAA!!!!"  Pan finally screamed as she tailor pricked her for the fiftieth and last time.  "I cannot TAKE this anymore!  For the last THREE WEEKS I have been shoved in a car and hauled to store after store after STORE for what???  To get PRICKED BY PINS!  I rub my body with Vitamin E cream EVERY NIGHT, but at this rate on my wedding day I will look like SWISS CHEESE!  Get AWAY from me, you horrible, clumsy, evil DAUGHTER OF SATAN!  ARG!"  She tore off the dress, jumped into her regular clothes, and literally flew out the door.  I'm so glad I know how to fly now...Pan thought as she heard her mother apologize profusely to the tailor.
     Pan got some altitude and smiled as the wind rushed over her body.  She didn't even realize where she was flying until she recognized the buildings of Capsule Corp.  But Trunks isn't even here, she thought, puzzled.  He's out getting fitted for a tux and God knows what else, same as me.  Bra!  she thought suddenly.  That's it!  She'd go see Bra.  Pan smiled as she thought.  Bra and I have had the strangest relationship.  When we were little, we absolutely hated eachother, but now that we're older, we're best friends!  Of course, there was that...incident...when she announced Trunks and I were going together, but...it turned out ok.  I think now she's closer to me than Winn could ever be, just because of the whole Saiyan blood thing.  Look out Bra, here I come!
 
 

     Bra looked up from the book she was reading with a start.  A very harassed looking Pan had just shot through her window, glass and all.  Bra raised an eyebrow at her friend.  Pan gave an embarrassed chuckle and started to pick up the glass.  Bra closed her book and kneeled down to help.
     "Sorry...I know I should really stop doing that," Pan apologized.
     "Hey, don't worry about it.  Dad breaks twice as many windows as you do."
     "But your dad breaks about ten a-...hey!"  Pan protested.
     Bra giggled.  "I'm kidding.  It just always seems to be the same scene; I'm reading, minding my own business, and you come shooting through the window 'cause you're feeling really stressed and want to talk.  So...what's the problem today?  Did Trunks blow you off or something?  I'm kidding!" she added quickly, seeing the look on Pan's face.
     "Yeah right.  I doubt Trunks'd do that.  I'm just feeling a bit...I dunno...hole-y right now."
     "Oh yeah?"
     Pan sighed.  "Pins," was her one word explanation.
     "That - ouch! - sucks," Bra stabbed her finger with a piece of glass.  "Other than the pins, how's the dress coming?"
     "Great, actually.  It doesn't even feel that uncomfortable, except for the waist."  she laughed.  "I guess I need to lose a few pounds."
     Bra laughed too.  Then she lit up.  "I got it!  Pan, we've both been slacking off in our training.  Yes, I know I've barely had any," Bra held up her hand before Pan could say anything.  "But I know exactly the thing we need!  We're going to create an exercise program!"
     "Excuse me?"
     "Yeah!  I'm serious!  You should tighten that tummy, firm those thighs, strengthen your arms!"  Bra smirked in a way not unlike that of Vegeta's.  She winked.  "You're probably going to want all the strength you can get for your wedding night, right Pan?"
     Pan stared at the piece of glass in her hand like it would hold an answer.  The...wedding...night?  Meaning...Trunks and...woah....oh God...we're...ah!  She hadn't really thought of the wedding night until just now when Bra had mentioned it.  Pan let out a very shaky, nervous laugh that sounded more like a whimper. Sex...oh...kay...Trunks...
     "Pan?  You ok?"  Bra asked jokingly.  She sobered when her friend didn't snap out of her funk.  "You didn't think about that yet, did you?" She said it more like a statement.
     Pan slowly turned her head toward her friend.  She shook her head.
     She looks apprehensive, almost scared.  Oh my god, she really didn't think of her wedding night until now!  "I...was just kidding, I'm sorry."
     "Yeah...." Pan said, trailing off.  She shook her head vigorously.  "Jeez, Bra, can you believe this?  When we were 14 we had these huge, long discussions about sex and just how exactly we'd go about it, remember?"  She and Bra laughed.  "And here I am, worrying about my wedding night which I supposedly already planned.  Weird how we actually got mature, isn't it?"
     "Ma...ture?" Bra asked, feigning confusion.  She laughed.  "Hard to believe that I especially grew up.  I always knew you would eventually."
     Pan looked amazed.  "You're kidding!  You always seemed like the mature one to me..."
     Bra shook her head.  "Too weird.  I guess we had low self-confidence then, huh?"
     "Yep.  No self esteem."  Pan agreed.
     "So...well, we've got nothing better to do.  How are you going to go about your 'special night', Pan?"
     Pan blushed.  "I dunno..." she said, not looking at Bra.
     Bra grinned wickedly.  "Come on...you're hiding something...you have some ideas, come on, tell me!"  She begged.
     "Welllll....." Pan pretended to think it over.  "Well, ok, I guess.  But first you have to promise me something."
     "What?"
     "Bra, I want to have two bridesmaids.  Please...I need you at my wedding.  Will you be my bridesmaid?"
     "Get down on one knee." Bra instructed.  She stood up while Pan kneeled.  "Now hold out your hands."  Pan obeyed and grinned, knowing where this was going.  "Now ask me again."
     "Bra!"  Pan said in her most pleading manly voice, "I ask you, from the bottom of my heart, to be my maid of honor.  I promise to provide you with a dress of a flattering color, to protect you from attacks from Uncle Goten, and to fill you in on all the little annoying obnoxious details of married life."
     "I...I accept!  And I, in return, promise to keep you from running away on your wedding day, to make sure you and Trunks stay together no matter what, and to flatter you shamelessly the minute I see you in your wedding dress."  They shook hands.     "Now come on, tell me!"
     Pan laughed.  "All right, all right!  Let's just finish cleaning up the glass and I'll tell you stuff, ok?"
     "Deal."
 
 

     Trunks sighed impatiently.  Oh, the humiliation of it all...He was standing in the fitting room, in his boxers, being measured from every possible angle and area while Goten was doing his best not to crack up.  Trunks glared at him.  His friend grinned cheerfully back, knowing Trunks would never do anything to him.  Gohan was there too, making sure the 'boys' didn't goof around too much.  "You know it's just his excuse.  He hates to not be doing anything," Goten had told him when Gohan said he was coming along.  Trunks sighed.
     "Feeling a bit uneasy there, boy?" the old man taking measurements cackled.
     Trunks shook his head.  "No sir."
     "Thinkin about your wedding, sonny, or not quite there yet?"  the man asked.
     "I'm actually...kind of bored."
     The old man cackled again.  "Well, in my day, sonny, the wedding arrangements weren't nearly as complicated as today.  Why, now the women can ask the men, the women are wearing pants, men are wearing dresses...it just don't make no sense to me!"  the old man complained.
     Trunks didn't know what to say.  The man was looking at him expectantly, as though waiting for an answer, and Goten had given up on his battle not to laugh.  "You know Goten, as my best friend and best man, you aren't being very supportive.  How am I supposed to trust you to keep me from running away on my wedding day when you can't even not laugh while I'm getting my tux?"
     Goten shut up and smiled innocently at Trunks.  "You can because I'm not even letting you run away from your fitting."
     Trunks glared again.  The old man stood up and shook Trunks' hand.  "You're all done, sonny, and good luck!"
     "Thank you," Trunks replied, still glaring testily at his friend.  The old man smiled, slapped Trunks' rear end, and walked away.
     Trunks jumped a good three feet.  He looked questioningly at Gohan, then his best friend, and they looked questioningly back at him.  Trunks shuddered.  He got his clothes back on and left the store immediately after.
 
 

     "Let's see, flowers?"
     "Check."
     "Clothing?  Men's and women's?"
     "Check."
     "Location?"
     "Check, Mrs. Briefs!  We've checked these over and over." Videl reminded.
     Bulma made a face.  "Please, Videl, we're equals now.  Call me 'Bulma'.  And I know we've checked these before, but I feel like we're missing something, don't you?"
     "What about the reception?"  Bra wondered.  She insisted that she be part of the planning.
     Bulma and Videl looked at eachother.  "You know Bra, I'm glad you're constantly thinking of partying, because that's what we've forgotten."
     Bra opened her mouth to object to this insult, then decided it would be much simpler to just ignore it.  "How about I take care of it?" she offered.
     "Well...are you sure honey?  It's a big job," Bulma said.
     "And we're inviting lots of people," Videl added.
     "You guys take care of the invites, I'll take care of the rest!  I don't know half the people that are coming, anyway."
     "All right, Bra, take care of the reception.  And not too wild, please.  I'm not sure Vegeta will be able to handle it."  Bulma sighed.  "I still haven't told him about the wedding yet."
     "But Mrs. - Bulma!  The wedding's less than a month away!  June is just around the corner!"  Videl exclaimed.
     "Yeah Mom!  And didn't you tell Trunks just yesterday that you told Dad?"
     "Well...yes, I did say that,"  Bulma admitted.  "And I'll tell him.  Just...not yet."
     "Mom!"  "Bulma!"  Videl and Bra said at the same time.  "Mom, do you want me to help?  Dad'll never even touch me," Bra offered.
     "That actually might help.  Yes."  Bulma stood up.  "We're going to do this now.  Vegeta has been in the gravity room all morning, so he'll be tired, and therefore less violent.  Videl, on account of your safety, not because I don't like you, I suggest you go home."
     "Good idea.  Thank you for the coffee!"  Videl called as she grabbed her coat and went out the door.
     "Are you ready, Bra?"
     "Ready."
     "Let's go."
 

     Five minutes later, a feral battle roar was heard from Capsule Corp., along with a large explosion, followed by the hysterical screams from two women.
 
 

     As soon as they felt a power level rise dramatically and suddenly, the three men shopping for tuxedos jumped.  Trunks gulped.
     "What was that?!" Gohan hissed.
     "Trunks, are you sure your dad already knew about you getting married?  And didn't you say it was yesterday?"  Goten asked.
     "Uh...yeah, that's what my mom said."
     "Your mom?!  You didn't even tell him yourself?!"
     "Well..."
     "Come on, Trunks!  Be a man!  You made your mom tell him, didn't you," Goten accused.
     "Come on yourself!  This is my dad we're talking about!  My dad!  As in, Vegeta?  As in, temperamental?  As in, he'd blast my head to hell and back before I could say the words "to Pan"!"  Trunks retorted.
     Goten thought for a moment.  "Well...I guess you have a point.  Are we supposed to check it out?"  Trunks paled.  Goten grinned.  "Hey, buddy, don't worry about it, I'll protect you from your big, mean daddy!"
     Trunks made a face.  "Yeah, right.  Gohan, will you pay for these?  Here's money," Trunks said, and tossed Gohan his wallet.  "Pay me back later, k?  Now Goten.  We're gonna go over to my house.  If my dad's mad pissed, I'm gonna stay at your house for...a while.  If he's not, then I'll probably be relatively safe."
     "And what am I supposed to do if it turns out that he isn't pissed off at you?"
     "I dunno.  We'll figure out something.  But honestly, I don't think it'll be an issue.  Ok. So.  Let's fly," he said, and took off.
     "Wish us luck!" Goten said to his brother, and flew out the door (getting many stares from other customers) to join his friend in the sky.
 
 

     Trunks and Goten were flying along in companionable silence for a while until they both broke it at the same time.  They laughed.  "Go," said Trunks.
     "I was just gonna say if you remembered the time when we little kids and you used to be sooo scared of your dad, and yet you would talk about him all the time."
     Trunks laughed again.  "Yeah.  I kept boring you to death."
     "Seriously!  You just kept talking!  It was 'Goten!  My daddy yelled at my mommy and she yelled back because he was being mean!  Can I sleep over?'  and 'Goten!  My daddy has that evil look in his eyes and says he's gonna kill me if he sees me another time!  Can I sleep over?' and 'Goten, uhh...my dad's kinda blowing up the house, so...can I sleep over?" Goten said, imitating his friend.
     "I even remember saying that last one."
     "Really?  I didn't think it was in those exact words...I just put those together as a general statement and combination of what you talked about all those hundreds of times."  Goten shrugged.  "Now what were you gonna say?"
     Trunks chuckled.  "Nothing really big.  Just if you think I'm an idiot for getting married to Pan."
     "Is that all you ever think about?  Your dad and Pan?"  Goten teased. When Trunks opened his mouth to reply, Goten shook his head.  "No.  Don't answer that; I don't wanna know.  Anyway, to answer your question, no, I don't really think you're being an absolute moron."  Goten grinned.  "If I thought so, I would tell you, just like all those other times!"
     Trunks rolled his eyes.  "Yeah, you were always one to keep my ego from getting out of control."
     "Eh, yeah.  It's the way my mom raised me.  Besides, it was a decent past time, and very challenging."
     "What, thinking of ways to insult me?"
     "No, keeping your pride from getting really obnoxious."
     "Hey!  Jerk!"
     Goten laughed.  "Calm down!  I'd hate to think of the way you could be if I hadn't done all the Trunks bashing that I did.  At least I didn't back-stab you."
     "Heh, right.  You know what they say: 'A true friend stabs you in the front'."  Trunks quoted.
     "You got it."
     They flew along in silence for a while longer.  As they neared Capsule Corp., Trunks began to grow uneasy.  The burst of ki his father had given off was long gone; only a ominous quiet remained.  "Goten...I'm starting to think we'd be better off just going straight to your house..."
     "Yeah?  Why?"
     "I dunno...I just get this feeling..." Trunks said, and stopped in mid air.
     "What feeling?"  Goten stopped too.
     "A feeling that you're going to die extremely soon?" a low, gravely voice said from behind them.
     Trunks yelped at his father's voice.  "Dad!  I...hi!  Um...yeah...see...we were just..you know....like....e heh heh heh!"
     "Yeah, you see, Mr. Vegeta sir, we were shopping...and...we felt this...umm....and we were on our way to my house!  Of course if that isn't ok with you then well you know that's fine and I'll just leave and give you Trunks so you can nicely disembowel him and now let the bloody remains of his flesh ever be seen to another member of my family no matter how distant they are..." Goten babbled.
     "I think you'd better go, brat," Vegeta said, almost sweetly.
     Goten nodded and took off.  Trunks looked after the disappearing shape of his friend and wondered, Why doesn't this give me any confidence that he'll make me go through being married on my wedding day when I'm incredibly nervous and won't want to do it? He turned back towards his father.  That is...if I ever see my wedding day...Trunks sent a silent prayer to Dende.
     Vegeta glared at his son.  He hated it when his brats got that 'rabbit-caught-in-headlights' look whenever they saw him.  It seemed they were always prepared for their father to, as Kakkorot's brat had said, disembowel them.  What made them so sure he was going to?  He had never even tried before...except for that one time, and his energy blast had been a good six inches away from Bra's head.  But anyway.  Vegeta smirked and cracked his knuckles, starting toward his son.  Well, now the brat had reason to be scared, and he was going to make sure that his son knew it.
     Trunks fled.
 
 

     "Pan, I have to say, I am in shock!" Bra shrieked, delighted.
     Pan was blushing beet red.  "I knew I shouldn't have told you...," she muttered.
     "No no no!  Believe me, it was a good thing!  Gosh, Pan, I never knew it was possible for you to think such...such..." Bra was at a loss for words.
     "Yeah, I know.  Ok, look, am I staying here or going home?  Didn't you say you needed my input on something important?"  Pan changed the subject.  She was having to do that a lot, lately.
     "Right.  Ok.  Just stay here; call your dad and tell him you're eating dinner over here.  Hey, why not?  Anyway, I needed to ask you about the reception." Bra was all business now.
     Pan groaned and slumped onto the floor.  "I was hoping it wasn't wedding related..."
     "Sorry.  But..this is one of the few things that needs to be done," Bra said, trying to comfort her friend, even though in her mind she was ticking off the remaining several dozen items that needed to be taken care of in preparation.
     Pan made a face.  "Oh, please.  I know what's going on.  The bridesmaids dresses haven't arrived, the flowers need to be chosen, the guests need to have lodging prepared..." Pan moaned.  "I just don't see how a stupid legal binding of love can be so much work!"
     Bra nodded in sympathy.  "But hey, you aren't the one who needs to stress!  It's our moms that are taking care of the important stuff.  I'm doing the reception, which actually I guess is pretty important, too.  But that's me!  Not you!  I'm in charge, I just need your advice, input, suggestions, commands, whatever."
     Pan sat up and sighed.  "Ok.  What first?"
 
 

     "So how's the men's side of the wedding going?  Almost ready, I hope,"  Pan asked her fiancé.  They were at a small cafe a week and a half from the big day.  Trunks and Pan both agreed they needed serious de-stressing time.
     Trunks moaned.  "Yeah, I guess.  Everything's pretty much done.  And yet my mom is still finding wedding stuff to bug me about.  And my dad won't even accept the fact that I'm getting married to you."
     "Still?  Wow.  Maybe you should talk to him," Pan suggested.
     Trunks raised an eyebrow.  "You know my dad."
     "Yeah, yeah, but still!  Face him like a man, Trunks!"
     He sighed, choosing not to continue the never-ending battle of what to do with his father.  "How's your side of things?"
     "Getting there.  The bridesmaids dresses came, we got them altered, Winn calls me every night to see how I'm doing...stuff's good."
     "That's good."
     There was a moment of silence.
     "I wish my grandpa were here for this," Pan remarked sadly.
     "Yeah, I know.  He wasn't too bright, but he was an awfully nice guy.  It would have been great for him to marry us.  I don't know if you know this, but my granddad gets really boring when he has to make long speeches, and Goku never did.  I would much rather have him marry us than my mom's dad, for god's sake.  It would work, too, since we're not having a really religious ceremony.  Goku'd be able to do it."
     "I know.  Not to diss your family or anything at all like that, but it kinda sucks that your Grandpa's marrying us."
     "I wholeheartedly agree.  But what can we do about it?  Goku's dead," Trunks reminded.
     "Yeah, no duh, I know," Pan said.
     Another moment of silence.
     "So...Winn got her little sister to agree to wear the flower girl dress."  This had been a continuing source of worry for Trunks' mother.
     "Yeah?  That's great.  So we have a flower girl.  What about a ring bearer?  I don't know any seven-ish little boys, do you?"
     "Nope.  But Bra had a great idea.  She just suggested we pick some kid up off the streets and pay him to be in our wedding, as long as he didn't mess things up."
     Trunks stared at her.  "You have got to be kidding!"  Pan shook her head.  "My sister thought of that?"  Pan nodded.      "That's so...brilliant!  Great!  When should we get him?"
     "How about now?"
     "Ok!"
 
 

     Trunks walked into the kitchen where his mother was cooking dinner, holding a little boy's hand.  It had taken him and Pan over three hours to find a cute enough little boy, but they had succeeded.  "Mom?  I'd like you to meet Tommy.  Tommy, meet my mom.  You can call her 'Bulma', ok?"
     The little boy stuck his thumb in his mouth and didn't say a word.
     "Oh Trunks, he's adorable!  Is he going to be your ring bearer?  Bra explained her plan to me, and I think it's just marvelous," Bulma said.
     "Yeah, Tommy agreed to be our ring bearer.  We asked his mom if he could, of course, and she said yes, so after he's our ring bearer we give their family a hundred bucks.  Not bad, huh?"
     "Perfect!  Hm?  What's wrong, Trunks?" Bulma asked.
     "Oh, it's nothing.  Nothing that can be helped, anyway.  Pan and I were just talking about who's marrying us and all that, you know?  We both realized we didn't want Grandpa marrying us that much."
     "I understand, believe me.  Who would you rather have do it?  It's a little late to change, but changes can be made," Bulma offered.
     "No no, I told you, it can't be helped.  We realized we wanted Goku to do the honors.  But see...he's kinda dead.  So there's nothing we can do."
     "Goku?  But Goku isn't that good at speaking in front of large crowds."
     "Yeah, but still.  He's done so much for everybody, and he's nice, right?"
     Bulma laughed.  "That he is.  That was always one of Goku's fine points: he was the kindest man who ever lived."
     A snort was heard from the hall.  Vegeta appeared in the doorway.  He looked long and hard at Trunks before speaking.  "Kakkarot was a fool.  He wasn't functioning on all levels necessary for normal brain activity, and that is the only reason people would listen to him at all."
     Mother and son exchanged glances and silently agreed not to say anything to that particular comment.
     Vegeta poked his head out of the refrigerator and glared at the small boy who was clutching Trunks' hand and staring in awe at him.  "Who's the brat?" He demanded.
     Tommy opened and closed his mouth a few times, trying to speak but too afraid.
     "Come on...say your name..." Trunks prompted.  I wonder what he'd do if I told him that he had another son and this was he, Trunks thought, his mind wandering.
     "I'm T-Tommy..." the boy said in a tiny voice and immediately stuck his thumb in his mouth again.
     Vegeta rolled his eyes and left the room.
     All still in the kitchen breathed an immense sigh of relief.  "Don't mind him.  Tommy, would you like some cookies?"  Bulma asked.  Tommy, not taking his thumb out of his mouth, nodded.  "Ok, then why don't you come over here and we'll get you some."  Bulma took the boy by the hand and led him to the pantry, while Trunks went off to find Bra and tell her that her plan worked.
 
 

     Trunks shifted.  He knew he shouldn't be nervous, since this was, after all, only the rehearsal, yet he was still anxious.  The wedding was in two days.  Trunks watched as his mother walked down the aisle alone and sat.  Then he and Videl walked down together, and he let Videl sit.  This would almost be boring if it weren't half about me, he thought, as a very pouty-looking little girl walked down the aisle with Tommy, who was amazed at the size of the building.  After Trunks had seen the guest list that his mother was preparing, he suggested that he and Pan get married in some place other than a church, since there was no church - or any place of worship at all - that could possibly contain all the guests Bulma was inviting.  So now they were getting married in a giant assembly hall, capable of seating 2,000.  It was quite a long aisle to have to walk down.
     When everybody was down at the podium, the real practice ceremony began.  Dr. Briefs began to speak.
     "Ok, dearly beloved, some other stuff, Trunks, do you blah blah blah, now Pan, you must yadda yadda, and ok!  I think we're ready for the real wedding, don't you guys think so?"
     They all stared.  "Um...sure, Dad!  Hey, that works.  Ok.  Why don't we all take a break from this wedding and get some sleep?" Bulma recommended.
     "Bulma, it's only 5:00!"  Videl said.
     "I'm sure we could all use the extra sleep.  Just trust me, guys.  No one enjoys a wedding when everyone's tired.  So," Bulma said when nobody moved.  "Go!"
     They went.
 
 

     The day of the wedding, at last!  were Pan's first thoughts when she woke up.  Oh my god, it's the day of the wedding!  were her next.   She looked at the clock.  The electric green numbers said 10:00.  "The wedding's at two!  Dammit, I overslept!" she screamed.  Videl walked into her room just then, followed by Winn, Bra, and Bulma.
    "We know, Pan.  Don't worry.  We wanted you to get some sleep.  We've prepared everything for you.  Now come down and get breakfast.  You won't eat much at lunch, so eat a lot now," Videl said briskly.  Pan looked around in slightly dumbfounded shock as she was grabbed by the arms and whisked into the dining room.
     "Eat," ordered Bra as they plunked the bride-to-be in a chair.  "It's your last breakfast as a single woman."
     They all watched her.  Nervously, Pan took her fork and began to eat.  Instincts took over and she shoved food in her mouth, stopping occasionally to breathe.  When she was through she was 'led' to the living room, where a mound of presents awaited her.
     "We wanted your wedding shower to be a surprise, right?  We figured now would be as surprising as ever," Winn told her.
     "Am I supposed to open these now?"  Pan asked.
     "We already did.  We also wrote out your thank-you notes; you just need to sign them," Bulma said.
     Sure enough, as Pan looked closer, all the presents had been neatly opened, and on the coffee table lay an enormous pile of card and a pen.
     "Do you want us to help you sign them?" Bra asked hopefully.
     "N-no, that's ok, I'll do it..." Pan was still confused as to what was going on, but she signed her name on each of the card under Videl, Bulma, Winn, and Bra's watchful eye.  The minute Pan was done she was dragged up the stairs and shoved in the bathroom, where a hot bath scented with rose petals was waiting for her.
     "You have half an hour in there, Pan!  Make good use of it!  When you're done, shower yourself off, get into the robe, and come back out, kay?" Bra called through the door.
     "Um..Ok!"  Pan responded.  Se glanced at the wall and saw a fluffy white robe.
     "Don't forget to shave your legs!"  Her followers chorused.   Pan sighed.  She stripped and sank into the water, mulling over exactly what was happening.  I can hardly believe this...
 
 

      Trunks awoke with a mild hangover.  "Why did Goten even let me drink at all last night?  God..."  He remembered his 'bachelor party' with Goten the night before.  It was nothing major; he just went to a bar with Goten and some of his other friends for half the night.  At least he took me home right away when I started to get too drunk for my own good...Trunks thought.  He looked at the clock.  11:00.  "Not a lot of time, but time enough for what I need to do." He drank some water to ease his hangover, stumbled to the kitchen to eat breakfast - or brunch, as he realized later -, and began his own preparations.
 
 

     "Ok, honey, now look towards the ceiling for your mascara," Videl instructed.  While she had been in the tub the collection of female friends, family, and to-be in-laws had gotten themselves ready, so they therefore had the maximum time to fuss over Pan.  Except, of course, for Bulma, who had had to leave so she could see her own offspring and fuss over him (of course, the other reason had been to be sure that Vegeta hauled his sorry butt into a tux to at least make a presence at his son's wedding, even if he refused to be in the ceremony - which he flatly did).  So Pan raised her eyes heavenward, adding a silent prayer to Dende that everything went as it was supposed to.
     "Pan, can you stand up straight, please?  I can't straighten your dress correctly if you slouch," Bra said.
     "Pan, I never realized what awesome hair you have," Winn complemented.
     Pan straightened for Bra, looked at the floor for Videl (who was now doing her upper eyelashes), and smiled for Winn.
     Videl finished applying makeup to Pan's face and stepped back.  Bra gave Pan's skirt a final brush and stepped back.      Winn finished fixing Pan's hair into an elaborate flower-like design and put on Pan's veil and train and stepped back.  Pan lifted the veil from her face to see the amazed, proud, and slightly jealous looks she was receiving.
     "Sweetie, you look beautiful!  I wish I had your figure now..." Videl said.
     Pan blushed slightly.  "Thanks...?" she said questioningly.
     "Ohhhhh my God Pan you look totally fab!  Oh my GOD you like totally do!" Winn exclaimed.
     Bra turned her nose in the air.  "Well Pan, I guess you'll pass, but..."  Bra laughed.  "You're awesome!  But don't we have to go?"
     Videl looked at her watch.  "Yes, we do, since we have to get there before the groom.  Come on, girls!" Videl said crisply and led the girls out the front door.
     When she stepped out into the bright sunlight, Pan blinked and stared.  A stretch limousine sat there, with a very formal looking chauffeur standing outside.  "Mom, you..."
     "It was your father."
     "I don't believe it..." Pan had never ridden in a limo before.  She hesitantly walked over to one of the doors.  As soon as she began walking the chauffeur bowed and opened the door for her.  Pan grinned back at Bra.  "You're probably used to this, but I'm sure not.  Get in!"
     The other women climbed into the limo and drove off to the hall.
 
 

     Gohan fastened the corsage on Trunks's tuxedo.  Trunks looked into the mirror and fixed his hair.  Try as he might, he never could seem to get the two strands of hair (Goten called them antennae) out of his face.  He sighed.  "Gohan, shouldn't you be with Pan?  She is your daughter," Trunks asked.
     "And you're going to be my son, why shouldn't I be with you?  It's your day, too," Gohan replied.
     Goten made a face.  "Oh come on, Gohan, do better than that!"
     Gohan gave up his adult demeanor and grinned sheepishly.  "Ok, Ok.  Actually, I was kicked out.  The girls wouldn't let me stay.  They said they were going to be doing 'girl things' that I wasn't allowed to be there for."
     "Man, I feel bad for Pan!" Goten said.
     "My thoughts exactly," Trunks said distractedly as he stared at himself in the mirror.
     "Hey, relax, Trunks!  You're gonna be fine!" Goten put his hand on his friend's shoulder.
     "I am fine!" Trunks protested.
     "That's exactly what you said last night, hot shot, and then you downed a case of beer.  You're nervous, man!" Goten teased gently.
     "And it's normal to be nervous," Gohan said, glaring at his younger brother, clearly telling him that now was not a good time for making fun of anyone.
     "What's going on?" a small voice from about three feet below the older men in the room said.
     They looked down.  "It's called a wedding, Tommy.  Remember?  You're going to be part of it, you know, the way we've been showing you for the past few weeks?" Trunks explained.
     Tommy still looked confused.
     "Oh, don't mind him, boys," Bulma said from the doorway.  "He knows what to do." She crossed the room.  "Oh Trunks.  You look so handsome!" Bulma kissed her son's cheek, leaving a smear of lipstick.  "Oh dear, look what I've done!" She took a kleenex from her pocket, wet it with some spit, and began to dab at the lipstick she left behind.
     Trunks pulled away.  "Mom, please!  I'll go wash it off," he said.  He went into the bathroom.
     "That's my little boy," Bulma said, with tears in her eyes.  "He always did hate it when I did that."  She sniffled.  "Oh goodness, we're not even at the wedding and I'm crying!  Boys, are you ready to go?"  When they nodded, she said, "Good.  Then you guys go ahead. I'd better go find..."  She sighed.  They all said in unison, " - Vegeta."
 
 

     "VEGETA!" Bulma yelled as she stomped through the halls of Capsule Corp.  "VEGEEEEETAAAAAA!!!!"
     "WHAT, woman?!" Vegeta demanded angrily from behind his mate.
     Bulma whirled around and was about to respond with an insult as to how Vegeta always seemed so deaf when she talked to him other times and that's why she was yelling, but thought better of it.  Instead, she smiled serenely, fluffed her hair, and said kindly, "Vegeta, we need to leave now, so why don't you go get ready?  We'll need to leave in a few minutes."
     "What are you talking about?" he snarled.  He had been on his way to the kitchen to get some food after a hard morning's training and venting his anger.  Wait, why was he so angry again?  It was something about...today...and his son....and that brat of Kakkarot's brat...and...  Vegeta's eyes widened.  Oh yes.  That had been why he was so mad.
     Bulma kept her serene smile fixed.  "Oh honey," she said, using her sweetest, kindest, most patient voice, "you remember, don't you?  Trunks and Pan and...you know, it's their wedding day, remember?"
     Vegeta stiffened, his left eye twitching slightly.  His worst recollections had been true.  His son - his heir, which made it all the worse! - and that one fourth Saiyan brat - the spawn of the spawn of the lowest class Saiyan - were being joined in that ridiculous arrangement called marriage.  He glared at his mate.  "I remember," he sneered.  He gave her a look, then turned around and stalked off.  He had some business to take care of.
 
 

     "Mom, where's Dad?" Trunks asked as soon as he saw his mother come into the building.
     "I don't know."
     "What?!  But the groom's parents are supposed to go down the aisle first!  The wedding's in an hour!  Guests are arriving!  Where is he?!"
     "I told you, Trunks, I don't know.  All I can say is that he'll be here.  He may not take part in the ceremony - in fact, I'm completely positive of that - but he will be here.  Trunks-" Bulma grabbed Trunks' shoulders.  "your father would not miss his son's - his only son's - big day.  He will see you get married."
     With that, Trunks seemed to calm down slightly.  "Ok," he said, and walked to the room where he would say until the wedding began.
 
 

     "Pan, stop pacing!  You'll mess up your dress and get tired," Bra ordered.  "Sit!"
     Pan sat, but thirty seconds later was up and pacing again.  "What time is it?"
     "It's 1:37, Pan," her mother answered.  "Panny, honey, you're going to be fine!  Now just sit and relax!"
     "Mom just a question were you able to relax on your wedding day I don't think so and therefore neither am I it's probably just a tradition to get really really really nervous before a wedding especially if you're the one being married but you know that really doesn't take away from any of the nervousness knowing that millions of other people are and were and are going to be really nervous on their wedding day hey what time is it?"
     "It's 1:37, just like it was 20 seconds ago," Winn said.  "I never knew you could talk so fast!  Seriously, I thought I was the only one!"
     "Yeah well it's an art you know and I never really appreciated it until now when I'm really nervous and really really stressed out and can't take any more of this stress at all because I'm a nervous wreck and like a balloon that's just about to go 'pop!' at the slightest agitation!"
     "Hey Pan?"  Bra asked.
     "What????" Pan whirled around.
     "It's 1:38."
     "ARRRG!" Pan sank down into a chair.  "Can't we just start the wedding now?"
     "Not all the guests are here.  Now please relax, Pan!  If you stay sitting for the next 20 minutes then I'll...I'll tell you a story!" Videl said earnestly.
     Pan raised an eyebrow, clearly disapproving of the 'story' idea.  Then she sighed and held up her hands in defeat.  "Fine, Mom, tell me a story."
     "I'll tell you the story - and the version of the story - that my mother told me on my wedding day," Videl said.  "Little Red Riding Hood."
 
 

     At exactly 1:58, Videl said, "The end", and everyone who was in the women's room was laughing hysterically (but not so much so that tears would start coming out of their eyes, because that would ruin their mascara, and no one wanted to have to deal with the reapplication of it).
     "Mom!  I never knew Red Riding Hood knew so much profanity!" Pan laughed.
     "Or that the Big Bad Wolf was really a huge pervert!" Bra said, laughing too.
     Winn was still laughing too hard to say anything.
     Videl dabbed at her eyes, removing the tears carefully so as not to smudge her eye makeup.  "I'm glad you enjoyed it as much as I did.  Now see?  That took your mind off the wedding for an entire twenty minutes, and now your face isn't pale and you're smiling," Videl said.
     Pan chuckled.  "Yeah, it did, and I guess I am!  Oh Mom, thank you so much!" Pan hugged her mother tight.  "Thank you for everything you've ever done for me...even when I was a stupid teenager too overrun by hormones to realize that what you made me do or wouldn't let me do was just for my own good....and...oh Mom, I love you!" Pan bit her lip to keep from crying.
     Videl hugged her daughter back.  "Sh, Pan, don't cry.  I love you too.  I always have, and I always will, no matter what, ok?  You look beautiful.  You've grown in a lovely young lady, and you and Trunks are going to live happily ever after.  Pan," Videl held her daughter in front of her, "I am very, very proud of you."
     Pan smiled and wiped the tears from her eyes.  "Hey Mom," she said suddenly, changing the entire mood.  "Mom, did you actually know when Trunks and I went out on our very first date?"
     Videl grinned at her.  "I didn't know for sure, but I guessed.  A mother always knows what's going on in her daughter's life, or at least can estimate pretty exactly."
     Just then, Bulma stuck her head through the door.  "Ladies, if we're all ready, we're going to start the ceremony."
     Pan looked at each woman in turn.  Finally she swallowed, nodded, and smiled.  "Let's do it!"
 
 

     "Where is my dad?!" Trunks was becoming frantic.  There were 2 minutes left before the ceremony was supposed to start.  "My God, where is he?!"
     "Trunks, calm down, he'll be here!" Goten said, even though he himself was beginning to wonder.  He figured Vegeta wouldn't be in the ceremony, but he thought that Vegeta would at least be lurking in the shadows at the back.  But he wasn't even here!
     "I've been here," a voice snarled from the doorway.  The occupants of the room spun around.  "I've been watching you display your fear for the past ten minutes, and you've been too stupid to notice that I've been standing here.  By the way," Vegeta continued as though he were casually commenting on how foolish humans were, "Kakkarot's here."
     "What?!" Gohan was the first to react.  "My dad?"
     "Huh?" Goten was a second behind.  "Dad's here?"
     Trunks didn't catch on right away.  "Um...excuse me?  Huh?"
     Vegeta sneered.  He motioned to the hallway.  But Goku walked into the room before Gohan and Goten could bolt out the door to look.  "Hi guys!"
     Trunks jumped up in shock. "G-Goku?"
     "Dad?" Goten and Gohan asked at the same time.
     "Yeah?  Hey, what is it?"
     "Aren't you dead?" Gohan asked.
     "Yeah, I was, but um...evidently, someone found all the dragonballs and wished me back for the day.  I can't stay here for more than that.  Actually, it was for your wedding, Trunks!" Goku exclaimed.  "Hey, who's the kid?"
     Tommy was staring, his mouth hanging open, at the giant who had just walked into the room with dumbfounded shock.
     "Th-this is Tommy.  He's the ring bearer," Trunks replied shakily.  Then he got a sudden inspiration.  "Mr. Goku!  Um, this'll sound kind of weird, but um...Pan and I - we're getting married, you know - uh, even though we really don't know you that well, we decided basically from the beginning that we, um, would rather have you, you know, be the speaker at our wedding and marry us."
     Goku blinked.  "Sure!  It'll be fun!  I always did want to go into public speaking!" Goku grinned again.
    Trunks felt the slightest twinge of doubt come over him.  He ignored it, for he had more important things to worry about.  "Thank you so much!  This'll be a great surprise for Pan.  Um...then you should probably let my grand dad know, so he can step down from the podium and let you take his place.  Preferably now."
     "Ok!" Goku walked out the door, his stride purposeful.  Trunks was about to sink into a chair but Gohan hoisted him up.  Goten was still staring after his 'dead' father.
     "Trunks, there's no more time to sit.  You're on!" Gohan told him, ushering him out the door.  That's right, Gohan...you told Trunks just a little while ago that you'd be with Trunks and wouldn't let him do anything stupid, no matter what happens.  Right.  So your dad came back from the dead.  That's ok.  Perfectly normal.  Don't miss a beat, Gohan.  Strange things like this happen everyday...
 
 

     Trunks stood at the podium, trying not to shift too much in his stance.  Everything seemed to be taking so long!  He watched as his parents - just Bulma, actually, since his father had "gently declined" to take part in the ceremony, even to simply make an appearance - sat in the front row of the huge building, having already gone out before him.  He also saw his soon-to-be mother-in-law, who he had led to the front row just moments before.
     His mother saw him looking at her and gave her son a smile.  My little baby...you're doing fine, hun, you're doing fine...just hang in there.  I know it seems like this entire ceremony will never be over, but it will be soon, and then you'll be a married man with a beautiful wife and you'll be ecstatically happy. Bulma sniffled, her eyes beginning to well up with tears.  And yet it's going too quickly for me!  My little son...my little son who was climbing and walking all before he was a year old...my darling baby boy who reminds me so much of his father...he's a grown man now...and he's getting married. Bulma dabbed her eyes with her silk handkerchief.  She gave her son another smile before turning around to watch the procession.
     Trunks thought he would scream as he watched Tommy and Winnifred's little sister Penelope make their way down the impossibly long aisle.  He gritted his teeth as he watched Winnifred herself walk out, smiling and gaping at the massive crowd of people.  He calmed himself slightly, seeing his sister and best friend strut out of the doorway, knowing they looked great, and he found himself grin when Bra was close enough to her wink at him, bringing their strutting to a halt and changing their pace to a normal walk.  And then, after what seemed to be an eternity, came the woman he loved most of all, resting on the arm of her father...
 
 

     She's beautiful...I never knew Pan could look so pretty....she looks so happy.  I hope I'm not staring with my mouth open...I can't even tell anymore.  Oh, Pan...my love...my bride...my goddess...I can only wish I can make you as happy as you look now, for all our years to come together...
 
 

     My heart is pounding...I'm feeling lightheaded...am I going to faint?  Trunks, you look so handsome...and your eyes are on me, only me, not any of the other girls here who are madly in love with you and are sobbing because you're getting married to...me.  You deserve me, Trunks, you deserve whoever you could possibly want, but do I deserve you?  I don't know yet.  But you and I have forever to find out, for we will always be together, my prince...
 
 

     Gohan relinquished his hold on his daughter to Trunks, mouthing, "be good to her" as he did so.  Trunks just smiled vaguely at him and turned his eyes to his lovely partner, who smiled up at him in return.  They both turned towards the podium, holding eachother's hands, and waited to be married, once and for all.
     Goku cleared his throat.  He, too, was looking pale, as though he hadn't been expecting to speak in front of quite this many people.  He glanced down at the notecards that Dr. Briefs had left there and began.  "Dearly beloved, we have gathered here today to witness the matrimony of marriage between Trunks Briefs and Pan Son." He glanced down at the notecards again.      "Marriage is-" the notecards stopped.  Goku's eyes widened and he quickly shuffled the notecards around, looking for something else to say.  "Oh gosh, I don't know where the rest went...aren't there any more?" he muttered into the microphone, and the audience laughed.  Goku quickly looked up, obviously not realizing that he had spoken directly into the microphone.  "Um...ok...then I'll just make this up!"
     Trunks and Pan glanced at eachother.  Pan hadn't been expecting Goku, and so she was put very off-balance.  But she figured that was ok, since Trunks obviously knew about it and had been planning it to be a surprise.  And yet her almost-husband was looking quite off-balance as well; he hadn't been expecting Goku to be put into the position where he would have to make things up.  Trunks frowned at his fiancee slightly, worried.  Pan tried to smile reassuringly, but they both turned quickly back to the podium, not reassured at all.
     "Well, ok.  Marriage is what two people go through who are in love.  Evidently Pan and Trunks are in love, or they wouldn't be getting married."  Goku frowned.  "You two are in love, right?"
     Trunks blinked, realizing Goku wanted an answer.  He nodded, glancing at Goten, who shrugged.
     "Good.  Marriage is the thingie that comes before a big party where there's a lot of food.  Yum!  I can't wait!  Usually there's beer, too.  When people drink too much beer they get drunk.  When someone gets drunk, they do funny things, like laugh real loud, talk funny, and do other weird stuff.  I think food tastes better than beer.  My favorite food is chicken.  Hey, is there going to be chicken at the party?"
     This time it was Pan who nodded.
     "All right!  This is great!  Anyway, so you two are in love and are showing that by getting married and having a big party.  I hafta tell ya," Goku chuckled.  "I've been watching you guys from heaven, and boy!  You guys have done some strange things together!  Like that one time a couple years ago, "Goku scratched his head, "I think.  You guys got into this huge fight and stayed mad at eachother for a month!  Hey Pan, why did you forgive Trunks?  He was really mean!  And Trunks, why did you do that mean thing?"
     Trunks glanced over at Pan again, a fake smile permanently plastered onto her face, her eyes wide with shock and mortification.
     "Oh, I'm sorry, everyone!  I'm not being very nice!  None of the rest of you know what I'm talking about!  Ok.  Well, a few years ago, Trunks decided that he was gonna - huh?  Gohan?  What are you doing?" Goku tilted his head to the side in confusion and squinted at his older son in the front row.
     Gohan was making elaborate "stop!  Cut it out!  Don't say any more!" gestures with his hands.  When his father mentioned him, Gohan blushed in embarrassment, but ran up to the podium and scribbled some things down on the remaining notecards.  Then he calmly walked away and sat down in his seat as though nothing had happened.
     Goku blinked at the message his son had written him.  'Say this!' it said, with an arrow pointing to a paragraph below.  "Oh...ok, Gohan!  I'll say this!"
     Gohan rubbed his forehead and slumped, sighing.
     "Trunks, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to love and to cherish, through sickness and in health, till -" Goku stared at the phrase.  "Till Death do you part?!  Oh no, that's horrible!  You guys don't want to have to think about death yet, you're so young!  I mean, I - "
     "I do!" Trunks interjected quickly.
     Goku looked at him and blinked.  "Do what?"
     "I...take Pan to be my wife..."
     "Oh.  Ok!  Pan, this next one's for you:  Pan, do you take Trunks to be your lawfully wedded husband, to love and to cherish, through sickness and in health, till - that word again!  You guys, don't listen to it! - death do you part?"
     "I do," Pan responded.  Somehow, the magic phrase she had gone over saying at least a million times throughout her life didn't seem to sparkle quite as much as it used to.
     "Then...hey, you guys get to kiss!"
     Trunks figured that was as good as the line was going to get, so he took the cue and kissed Pan.  Instantly there was thunderous applause as the two newlyweds pulled apart, both grinning with excitement and relief.  Half the women were crying as they clapped, realizing that many a Trunks fan would be tearing down their shrine for him in their closet.  The couple grinned at eachother again and kisses once more, then twice more, then three times more, as the applause just got louder and louder (and as several catcalls were being made).
     "Well, I suppose it could have been worse.  We could have had people sleeping through the service," Trunks whispered when they pulled apart for the last time.
     "True.  Wow, what a story we'll have to tell our kids about our wedding day!"  Pan giggled.
     Trunks raised an eyebrow.  "Kids?  Um...we might want to discuss that..." He laughed, and his bride laughed with him as they strolled, arm in arm, to go receive the compliments from the hordes of guests who had seen Goku's...performance...and wanted to wish them well.
 
 

     " - and then when he finally brought Gohan up on stage and he wrote out what Goku should say!" Trunks was retelling the story again for the third time, but no one minded.  They were at the reception, everyone was laughing and drinking and eating.
     "Yeah, and that's the only reason Goku suddenly started saying the right things!" Pan added.
     Gohan groaned.  "I'm sorry, you guys...I feel like I should apologize for my dad..."
     "For what?  For his speech at the wedding or him gorging on all our food now?" Pan asked.  She motioned to the table where mounds of food were set buffet-style, currently being attacked by Goku in a frenzy.
     Gohan glanced over at his father and sighed.  He started to answer, but Trunks motioned for silence.  "Gohan, I don't think we really want to know.  Don't worry about it; we're all having fun!"  Trunks said.
     They all laughed.
     "When'll the dancing start?" Bra wanted to know.  She had come back to the table after flirting with some college friends of Trunks.
     "In a little while, I guess.  Why?  Got anyone in particular in mind?" Pan teased, glancing at the group of boys Bra had recently left.
     Bra blushed.  "Not really.  By the way, you have cake in your hair.  Here, lemme get it out..."
     Pan held still while Bra brushed some cake crumbs out of her hair.  "I guess Trunks didn't aim for my mouth too well when we shoved the cake in each other's faces, huh?"
     Bra laughed.  "I don't know what to say to that one.  But there, it's out."
     "Thanks."
     "Hey Bra, have you seen Dad?" Trunks asked.
    "Umm....yeah, he was out in the hall.  Brooding, sulking, I dunno, but he looked bored."
     "Ok, thanks.  Pan, uh, will you excuse me for a couple minutes?  I have some business to attend to..."
     Pan kissed her new husband.  "Of course."
     "PAN!!!!  OH MY GOD!!!!"  Winn's voice rang from across the room.
     Pan sighed.  "Well, yeah, go ahead.  I'll have Winn to keep me busy," she said, as said girl barreled toward her friend.
 
 

     Trunks made his way to the hallway where Bra had said their father was.  Finally he saw him, slouching against the wall, glaring at any of those who passed and had the nerve to look at him.  Trunks grinned slightly.  That was so much like his father.
     "Dad?" he said quietly.
     Vegeta didn't turn his head but glanced over at his son.
     Trunks walked up to his father and leaned against the wall next to him.  "Hey Dad, what's up?"
     Vegeta snorted.
     "Goku's speech sure was strange, don't you think?"
     "Kakkarot is an idiot," Vegeta replied.
     Trunks laughed.  "Yeah, but he's a good guy.  He tried."
     Vegeta was silent.
     "Are you mad at me?"
     Vegeta said nothing.
     "Well?  I mean, I did just kind of marry a "low class no-good pathetically weak brat of Kakkarot's brat"..."
     Vegeta still said nothing.
     "Come on, tell me, Dad!  Are you mad at me?"
     "No."
     "H-huh?"  Trunks did a slight double-take.
     "I said, 'no'.  I'm not mad.  I'm ashamed."
     "Yeah, I figured.  But isn't that basically the same thing to you?  Loss of pride makes you really pissed, I know."
     Vegeta was silent again.
     Trunks was silent for a few moments as well.  "I wanted to thank you for coming to the wedding - even if you didn't do anything - and to the reception.  It really means a lot to me," he said.
     His father snorted.
     Trunks thought for a moment before saying what he did next.  "Dad...don't get mad at me for saying this, but I can't help but wonder.  It seems a little strange that Goku just happened to come to our wedding, but I can accept that.  What is strange is that he had to be wished back.  Whoever did so must have known me and Pan and the occasion, right?  And they must have known about the dragonballs.  You were late to the wedding, too, almost.  Goku was almost late, too.  But you guys entered at almost the exact same time, right?  And you seemed to know that Goku was there before the rest of us.  Dad, this is all boiling down to one thing.  I think...I know who wished Goku back, and why he did it."
     Vegeta said nothing.
     "He's proud of his son, but can't show it.  He's happy for his son, but can't show it.  His son wanted Goku to speak at his wedding, and the father made that possible.  But he still can't show it, because that's out of his character, right?"
     "Of course," Vegeta said, not looking at his son.
     Trunks grinned.  "Well, if you ever come across this mystery guy, tell him thanks, k?"
     Vegeta said nothing, as was his nature.
     Trunks nodded.  "Ok.  I'm gonna go back to Pan.  We're going to be dancing soon, are you sure you don't want to come in?"
     Vegeta glared at his son, who grinned again.
     "Fair enough.  It really is getting pretty loud in there.  Well, fine.  See you later, Dad, and thanks again!"  Trunks walked back to find his wife.
     "That was a nice thing you did, Vegeta," Bulma said, coming out from a closet.
     Vegeta snorted.  "That's the last time I'm ever going out to find seven dragonballs in three days.  The brat didn't deserve it."
     Bulma stood beside him and ran her fingers through his coarse hair.  "I'm very proud of you, Vegeta."
     Vegeta said nothing.
 
 

     "Trunks!"  He found Bra first.  "Trunks, hurry up!  The guests are impatient!  They want to see you guys dance so that they can, too!"
     "Yeah, and so they can leave," Trunks said.  He laughed.  "Ok, tell our DJ equivalent to start playing the song."  Their DJ wasn't actually a DJ; he was actually a fifteen year old who was the brother of an acquaintance of Pan.  Pan, along with her husband, figured that no one else would know good music quite as well as a high school student.
     "'The song'?  And what song might 'the song' be?  What am I supposed to tell the guy to play?"
     "He'll know.  Pan told him ahead of time.  He gagged when he heard what it was, but he'll play it."
     "Fine," Bra said, and jogged off to tell the boy.

     Trunks found his wife looking quite harassed by Winn.  "Hey Pan," he said.
     "...and so when you guys kissed I thought that the world was gonna explode cause like everyone was like clapping and cheering so loudly that it nearly drowned out the sobs that could be heard which was kind of weird I thought because they didn't sound like happy sobs that you would like normally hear at a wedding they sounded like you know the kind of like....like..."
     Pan jumped up at her husbands greeting.  "Yes Trunks?"  she asked before Winn could collect her thoughts.
     "The dancing's going to start about....now," he said, as faint strains of music began to play.  The crowd hushed and looked right towards the couple.  Trunks bowed and held out his hand.  "May I have this dance?"
     Pan smiled and took his hand.  Trunks led her to the dance floor and the two began to sway.

When the rain is blowing in your face
and the whole world is on your case
I can offer you a warm embrace
to make you feel my love

When evening shadows and the stars appear
and there is no one there to dry your tears
I could hold you for a million years
to make you feel my love

     Pan looked up at her new husband.  He had never seemed quite so handsome as he was now.  She smiled up at him.  I could get used to having a 'husband' instead of a 'boyfriend', I think...

I'd go hungry, I'd go black and blue
I'd go crawling down the avenue
there's nothing that I wouldn't do
to make you feel my love

 When she smiled up at him, Trunks grinned back at Pan.  He felt as though they were dancing there, just the two of them, and to hell with everybody else.  He pressed his forehead against his wife's.

I could make you happy, make your dreams come true
nothing that I wouldn't do
go to the ends of the earth for you
to make you feel my love

There's nothing that I wouldn't do
to make you feel my love.

      As the music died away, the couple on the dance floor kissed, once again to thunderous applause.  Pan whispered in Trunks' ear, "My dad looks like he's about to cry, check it out...I think he'd burst out into tears and start weeping on the floor if I danced with him..."
     Trunks casually glanced over, looked back at his wife and grinned.  "Yeah, I think dancing with your dad would be a bad idea, we don't want to embarrass him.  I think we should just get the regular dancing started and just totally disregard the wedding party dance and the father-bride dance, that ok?"
     "Sure.  I think that that's a relatively unimportant aspect anyway...we're married now, the really important part's over!  Of course," she added impishly, "The really fun part's yet to come..."
     Trunks chuckled.  "I'm reading you loud and clear.  I better go tell that DJ kid what we're up to."
     "Well jeez, I'm coming along!"
     The evening progressed smoothly, until evening became night, night became late night, and late night became really late night.  The party was still going strong at midnight, and the newlyweds were exhausted.
     "Trunks?" Pan said in a yawn.
     "Hm?" Trunks responded.
     "I'm kind of tired," Pan blinked rapidly to keep from falling asleep standing.
     "Mm hm," Trunks said.  "You wanna go to the hotel?"
     "That might be a good idea."
     "Then do you want to slip out quietly with no one noticing or make a big..." Trunks' vocabulary failed him, "...thing...out of leaving?"
     "'Production', I think, was the word you were looking for, and yeah, I think we should continue letting people have fun and slip out quietly," Pan said.
     "Ok.  Then let's go."
     "Wait," Pan grabbed Trunks' arm.  "I just want to see one thing."
     "What?"  Trunks looked in the direction of Pan's gaze.  "Bra and Goten?  What about them?"
     "I just want to see something," Pan said.  Across the room Bra and Goten were sharing a drink and laughing.  A new song began to play, Goten said something to Bra, Bra said something back, and they walked onto the dance floor together.  "Thought so," Pan said, satisfied.
     "Bra...and Goten?  Never would of put those two together.  Hey," Trunks accused, "were you setting that up for them?"
     Pan winked.  "I'm not answering that question.  Can we go?"
     Trunks nodded.  They snuck into the coatroom, grabbed their jackets, and quietly drove off to their hotel.
 
 

     Trunks and Pan stumbled into their hotel room.  They would only be there for one night, for the next day they would be on an airplane to the Hawaiian islands.  Trunks locked the door behind them.  Pan collapsed onto the bed.
     "I cannot wait to get this dress off..." she moaned.
     Trunks lay down beside her, his eyes towards the ceiling.  He glanced sideways at his new wife.  "Please, allow me," he said, and kissed his new wife passionately...
 

 "Hey Trunks, what's up?"
 "Say, I was just wondering if you wanted to go to the mall or something this Friday."
 "Uh, yeah!  Sure!  Of course!  Yeah!"

 "Trunks, what do you think's going on?  Why is she trying to cover it up?"

 "He's probably some low-down jerk who isn't good for anything."

 "I look....I feel....so different..."
 "Pan, you look totally fab!"

 "You weren't studying."
 "Yes we were!"

 "Winn!  What do I do with my hair?!"

 "Pan, you look...great!"

 "That was fun, we should do it again."
 "Yeah.  Next week?"
 "Sure."

 "I got you something."
 "Thank you Trunks...it's great!

 "These two secret lovey doves were kissing!  Thank you, that's all."

 "Is what she says true?!"
 "Yes."
 "Why didn't you tell me before?"
 "The time never came up..."
 "Pan.  We are going home.  Now."

 "You will not see him, you will not talk to him, you will have nothing to do with that...monster of a boy!  And that is final."

 "Who the hell do you think you are?!"
 "Can't you just forgive us?"
 "That's not what I'm angry about!"

 "Go home."
 "Please, open the door!"
 "Go home!"
 "When I say 'open the door', you OPEN THE FUCKING DOOR!  Sit down and listen to me, dammit!"
 "If you have something to say, say it and get out of my house."
 "Don't you think it's a little different of me to have the guts to see a girl behind her father's back when he can very easily break me into very tiny pieces?!  Can't you see that I love Pan?!"

 "Can't you see that I love Pan?!"

 I love Pan...

 I love her...

 "I love you, Pan..."
 "I love you too, Trunks."
 

~End~