A/N:    First of all, sorry for the long, long delay of this chapter! As I already wrote, I had barely time to write and it was (actually still is) difficult for me to keep my stories, even one story, up to date. And then there was still my small writer's block… But anyway, here is the new chapter and I also wanted to thank you for the reviews you've left over the months! Thank you very much!

Chapter 15: Old and new faces

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It was a sunny summer day in LA. Well, most days in the summer were sunny and this day surely was not any different from the day or the week before. But still, for Pan this day was special, because she had taken two weeks off from her work to spend as much time as possible with Takeo, who now also was in his summer break.

It was his first true summer break after his first year in elementary school and Pan couldn't help but feel proud of him. Although he was a bit of a troublemaker in his class, who always planned some kind of mischief in the back of his mind, a trait both she and his father could be blamed for, he also was the best of his class. He was diligent in almost everything he did and almost constantly asked questions, when something had caught his interest. The only thing that bothered Pan a bit was the fact that Takeo did not seem to be able to find a best friend. Neither had he found one in kindergarten nor in elementary school right now. Takeo said that he did not mind and he also played with other kids, though those moments had become less and less during the last few months. Pan sometimes thought that their games were boring him and she could understand him.

He was different and he knew that. Pan had told him everything about the Saiyajins and about his heritage. She had taught him the basics in ki-control, some basics in fighting and had told him how important it was the he did not tell anyone about all of this. However, he did not know how to fly or how to sense ki in general. She thought that he did not need it. Maybe she would teach him later, when he was older and when he knew when and when not to use those two abilities. A flying kid in the middle of LA would only catch attention and this was the last thing she needed. Besides, she wanted Takeo to be able to live as normal as possible and this sure as hell did not include fighting, flying and so on. He should go to school like any normal kid, make friends, play and do all the other things normal kids usually did.

And they were planning one of those things right now. She had promised Takeo to go to the park with him and that was the reason why she was storing tons of food into small capsules. The seven-year-old would come down the stairs any minute by now, urging to leave and she wanted to be ready by then. And then she could hear it already, the stomping of his small feet on the stairs. Fortunately, he was never really quiet, so he never managed to sneak up or out on her, although she made him wear the same kind of ki-shield she was still wearing. If someone felt a high ki in LA, she would have the Z-Fighters on her doorstep sooner than she could say 'Dragonballs'. She could already imagine their faces when they saw the source of the high ki: a small boy, an exact copy of Vegeta only with blue eyes.

This image caused a smile to appear on her lips at the same moment Takeo came bouncing into the kitchen, closely followed by the now grown-up German shepherd dog Sally. "Can we go now, mom?" The three years old dog sat down next to her master and waggled excitedly with her tail.

Pan closed the lid of the capsule box, put it in her purse along with a book, and looked at her son. "Now we can go." Her son flashed her a toothy grin and in the next moment was out of the door, along with Sally who was usually always at Takeo's side. Pan remembered only all too clearly Takeo's first day to kindergarten, when he had to leave Sally behind. Pan had been able, with the help of Beth and Arthur, to make the boy understand that the kindergarten was no place for a dog and that she would only get scared with all the other kids around and that they might hurt her. Sally, however, had cried for her master the whole day and also the day after and the day after that. It had taken her a few days to realize that the boy would come back again a few hours later, completely unscathed.

The drive to the park was rather uneventful. Takeo was talking non-stop and Sally was lying lazily in the trunk of the old estate car that Pan had been able to buy one year after she had found a place to work. They quickly found a parking lot near the park and walked the rest to their special spot. They usually sat down under a tree near a playground, from where Pan could watch everything that was going on and still be undisturbed by others. They went there quite often, also with Lindsay and her whole family or the now soon-to-be mother Angela. She and Toby had married one year ago and she was in her seventh month pregnant. It was a spot for her makeshift family, a family that she did not want to miss any longer.

Takeo and Sally were almost immediately off to the playground, leaving Pan for herself, a quiet she really appreciated. She took out her book and began to read, soon getting lost in it with the knowledge that Takeo could take care of himself and that she could still keep a tab on Sally's small, but warm and loyal ki in case something happened. The sun that managed to force its way through the thick leaves of the tree played in her face, and she could finally truly enjoy her vacation. She had almost thought that she wouldn't be able to take the two weeks off, because there had been too much work before she left and she only dreaded the day when she returned to work only to see that the pile on her desk hat become even higher. Josh, however, had been really insistent when it came down to her vacation. She had offered to stay at office, but he had nearly ordered her to take the two weeks well-needed and well-earned rest. He was her boss and so she had had no other choice but to comply. Though, the fact that he had been this insistent was a bit suspicious, but now Pan could finally lie back and really enjoy her free time.

~*~

At the same moment, Josh was sitting in a quiet, exclusive, but still cozy restaurant, waiting for his guests to arrive. Next to him was Lindsay, his wife and at the same time secretary, who was now also Pan's substitute for the two weeks. Both of them were a bit nervous, but not only because of the importance of the deal that they were about to discuss and hopefully also conclude. None of them knew what Pan's reaction would be, when she eventually found out about the meeting, if she would be grateful or furious that they did not tell her.

It was too late now anyway, because right at that moment the door opened and a waiter brought their guests to their table. Both Josh and his wife got up from their chairs. They smiled at their guests and Josh extended his hand. "Mr. Briefs, it's nice to meet you. May I introduce you to my wife?"

"Mr. Briefs, it's an honor meeting you," Lindsay said and silently wondered how Pan could have ever left this man. Of course, she knew the whole story of them by heart, but still, this man had charisma.

"It's an honor to meet you, both of you. I think you already know my mother, Bulma Briefs," Trunks said, motioning with his hand to his seemingly never-aging mother, "and those are my sister Bra Briefs-Son and her husband Goten Son. I hope you don't mind that I brought them along, but they have never been to Los Angeles before and they are also helping out at Capsule Corporation, so I wanted to give them both an insight in this great city and in my work outside of the office."

"That's understandable. I hope you enjoy your stay in the City of Angels," Josh told them smiling. "And our meeting. So, please sit down. The food in this restaurant is excellent, if I may say so. And after we had a proper lunch, we can start with the negotiations, if you don't mind."

"Of course not," Trunks replied as friendly. "I can always think better with a full stomach."

~*~

He could not believe that he was actually doing this! How had the women managed to talk him into this? First they forbade him to accompany them to this business lunch and now he was also stuck with the brat in a strange city. And the rules his woman had set were clear – no flying, no bothering, threatening and killing any humans and no display of ki in any way and of any kind. In addition to all of that, the brat did have the impudence to ask him – in front of the women of course – if they could go to the playground. He had wanted to turn the brat's wish down, but two pointed glares had convinced him otherwise, for now he and said brat were on their way to the nearest playground of their hotel.

"Grandpa! Come on! I can already feel many kis over there!" The small boy with the spiky black hair that stood out into all directions grinned at him, the whole time jumping from one foot to another, and pointed towards a large group of trees.

He could not believe how Dende could punish him with an offspring like this. Not only did the boy look exactly like the weakling's father, no, his princess and her mate also thought it necessary to name the brat after that sorry excuse for a true Saiyajin. Goku Junior. Or for short – Junior. He preferred the latter, because he had never and would never say that name. Only once had he dared to call the brat Kakarotto and that had ended with him spending two weeks on the couch. But how could this boy ever be his heir? He looked like the third class, acted like him and there was no single trait of the bloodline of Vegeta to be found. Unfortunately, his daughter and her mate did not show any signs of ever wanting another child, so again, he was stuck.

"Grandpa! What are you waiting for?" Junior called out, grabbed his hand and pulled at it so that they would finally cross that street.

What in Dende's name had he done to deserve this? It was on days like this one that he cursed Kakarotto's grandbrat for running away. He was sure that she and his brat would have been able to conceive an offspring worthy of the name and the throne of Vegeta, even though the latter did not exist anymore. 

Within the next few minutes, Goku Junior finally found the playground in the middle of a park. His grandfather only walked behind him and gave him a gruff nod, as the boy asked him, if he could join the other kids.

Now he was finally alone. The brat could take care of himself and even if something happened, he would be able to feel it in the boy's ki. But what to do now? The ever-present frown on his face deepened as he looked around. There were too many happy people for his taste, too many people that could try to engage him in a conversation. Then he spotted it. There was a branch in the middle of a tree. No one would see him up there, but he would be able to take a good look around if needed. Only how to get up there? Climbing would draw too much attention, and hell, the woman would never know. Fazing out without anyone noticing, he appeared again on said branch. Maybe this day would not turn out to be too bad.

~*~

Takeo had found himself a nice place in the farthest corner of the playground, with Sally lying by his side. He had tried, really tried to play with the other kids, but somehow building sandcastles, climbing in the climbing frame or playing tag did not seem as interesting to him as it did to the other kids and he had quickly gotten bored. So, now there he was, lying in the sun and thinking about, what he could do next, when he heard the soft cries of a girl nearby. Sally also seemed to hear something, because her ears perked up and she growled lightly. He sat up and concentrated. It was somewhere behind the bushes. He got up and walked around the bush, always followed by his best friend, and there they were – two young men, harassing a girl that was barely a few years older than he was. 

"Hey! What are you doing?" he yelled, followed by a loud bark and a growl from Sally, who already bared her teeth at them.

Startled the two young men let go of the girl, who fell to the floor, whimpering, and turned around. They only smiled upon seeing that it was only a small boy with a dog, not even half their age. "Go away, boy, or we'll hurt you."

"Let the girl go and I won't hurt you." Again, Sally growled.

"I think the boy doesn't know what he'll get himself into," the second man said, cracking his knuckles.

"Oh, the boy knows just fine," Takeo answered and got into a fighting stance. Sally barked and got ready to jump.

The two men only looked at each other and then, having long forgotten about the girl, lunged at him, only to find themselves flying backwards as soon as they had reached him.

Bewildered, Takeo looked to his left, where suddenly and seemingly out of nowhere another boy had appeared and taken on the second man, before Takeo or Sally could have made a move. "What are you doing? How….?"

The other boy, Junior, only shrugged. After he had tried to play with the other kids, he had quickly gotten bored and had started to wander around the playground, when he had seen the boy lying in the grass with the dog. He had wanted to ask him, what he was doing there all alone with only a dog, when he had seen them getting up and going behind the bushes. Then he had also heard the cries and had followed them. "I thought that you maybe needed some help."

"Thanks, but I didn't need help. My mom taught me some moves to defend myself. And no one messes with Sally. By the way, my name is Takeo."

"I'm Goku Junior, but no one calls me that, well, my mom or grandmas, when they are really angry with me, but everyone calls me Junior," the young boy rambled, having a goofy grin on his face.

"Takeo! What is going on here?" Pan, who had suddenly appeared behind them, because she had felt the rise and fall of a really strong ki in this part of the playground, yelled, when she saw the two unconscious young men.

"Oh, hey mom… These men attacked this girl…" Takeo turned around, but the girl was gone. "However, then they wanted to attack Sally and me, but I fought them back, with Junior's help… Mom?" he asked, when he suddenly saw the look on his mother's incredible pale face. "Are you okay?"

"What's going on here, brat?"

Pan had not been the only one to feel the rise of the ki as she found out upon hearing the gruff voice behind her. Her whole body was stiff. She did not move, did not dare to turn around. It had been eight years, eight long years since she last heard that voice. She swallowed hard. God, this boy, he looked exactly like Goten and her grandfather. Could it be that he was their son? Of course, it must be. But that must also mean that they were here, in Los Angeles, maybe even in this park and on this playground. Why had she not felt them? Think fast, Pan! she told herself. She could not let him find out, not him, not anyone else.

But it was already too late for that, as she had to find out only moments later. Junior had rushed into a similar explanation as Takeo had, when his grandfather's gaze fell upon the boy next to his grandson. His eyes went wide. This boy, it looked exactly like he did at this age, only that the boy's eyes were blue. Then he looked at the woman and from one moment to another, all the pieces fell into one place. He understood. "Brat?"

"What is it, grandpa?"

"Not you. Brat?" He grabbed Pan's arm and yanked her around, causing the dog to bare her teeth again, but he ignored it. It was really her. She had not changed much in the last eight years, though her eyes seemed older. She had gone through much and he wondered if she had been here in this city all the time. The grip on her arm loosened. "It's you."

Pan forced a smile on her face, as she rubbed the spot where he had grabbed her. "Hey, Vegeta."

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Am I evil? Yes, I am… But I try to promise you that I will bring out a next chapter as fast as possible. I still have an idea in my head for the next, or maybe even the next two chapters and I hope that my writer's block will soon disappear after that…

Eternally yours

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