Disclaimer: On a more serious note than usual, I don't own DBZ/GT, I never have and-...never will... Sucks to be me...

A/N: Well, this was my first serious story to write. Let me just say one thing: if you like Trunks and Pan together, don't flame me simply because this isn't what exactly like the stories to which you're accustomed. I do, however, promise you a good story if you'll just hold on and read it. I hate Trunks and Pan together because I don't think it would ever happen, so this is what I think would if a romance were to develop between them. Enjoy!

The Truth
Chapter 1: History

Trunks sat in a chair alone in the room, waiting for his visitor. He had known today would come. He had known it for years, but that didn't make him anymore prepared for the meeting he was about to face than he would have been had this day come fifteen years sooner. He had seen some odd things in his years and faced some fearsome opponents, but for some reason, none of them had ever unsettled him as much as this one. The people wanted to know his story – all of his story.

The demi-Saiyan sat and thought of what he would say. He must have rehearsed a million different speeches a billion different times since agreeing to this interview, none ever came out just right, and now all of them left him completely. It looked like he would be winging it.

While contemplating what he would say, Trunks left the real world for that of his imagination, only to be brought back to find a worried look in his visitor's eyes.

"Are you okay?" the visitor inquired. "You looked like you were lost deep in the past."

"Lost in the past, and thinking of the present and future. I always knew you would want to know, but I'm still not ready. I'll never be ready, so take a seat," he motioned to a chair a few feet in front of himself, "and I'll get started."

Trunks took a deep breath and began, "How did I end up here? I was the most successful businessman around, running the largest company on our planet. I had money, luxury, and women, many, many women.

"I had them all, rich, poor, older, younger, auburns, blondes, brunettes, and every other hair color you can imagine, tall, short, pretty, beautiful, one-night stands, and even a few real relationships. As far as women go, pardon my blatancy, but I've been there, done that, and lost my t-shirt." Trunks's guest blushed lightly as he thought for a moment before continuing.

"But somehow she got to me, got under my skin. She's the reason I'm here right now, with you. She's the reason I've been sitting alone for so long, watching life go by without me, while I am forgotten…left to rot," he spat the last words, both disgusted and remorsefully.

Shaking his head sadly, staring at the floor, fighting tears, Trunks continued, "I dishonored her. I dishonored myself. I dishonored my family. I destroyed my best friend's family, not to mention what I did to my career - not that it really matters when compared to the other atrocities I committed, lives I destroyed.

"Your eyes are asking about what exactly happened. Well, I'll tell you, today is the day, though I doubt you or anyone will believe my story.

"Almost from day one, Goten and I were the best of pals. He was a year younger than I, naive, and fatherless. We were perfect candidates for best friends because my over-involved father and my natural mischievousness had me looking for someone I could just have fun with, protect and to some degree, control.

"We were demons as children, holy terrors, and honestly, I don't know how anyone survived," Trunks chuckled in remembrance. "I'm sure you've heard all about it. Cute as we were, we were simply evil.

"I know all this seems pointless, but Goten had an older brother, Gohan, who we took great pleasure in tormenting. I was an only child at the time and my friendship with Goten naturally led to my looking on Gohan as if he were my older brother, too. Those were the days," Trunks looked up from his reminiscing to meet a steady, curious gaze from the other person. "I'm not boring you, am I?"

The visitor shook their head, "You're not boring me. I'm enjoying it actually. It's obvious you were very happy back then. By all means, please continue."

Trunks closed his eyes while he gathered his thoughts and began again. "When I was, let me think, about eight - yes, I believe that's correct; Gohan met a girl, one who would change our lives forever, though I never would have believed she was so important, at the time. It was thanks to her that Dad and I began training rigorously for my first World Martial Arts Tournament, where I placed first in the junior's division, I might add.

"It was during that tournament Gohan really fell for his lady-love, Videl Satan. There was nothing special about her, definitely not a world-class beauty, but she was the daughter of Hercule Satan, 'savior of the world', and she was an amazing fighter, for a human that is.

"I did see her get her butt kicked once at that World Martial Arts Tournament. That was before she started training with Gohan. I never saw her in that position again after Buu.

"I'm sure you've heard this part a million times, and it's not too interesting, so I'll try to cover it quickly and move on to things you may or may not know about yet.

"To make a really long story short, Gohan and Videl got married. It was a beautiful wedding and I'm sure Gohan not only enjoyed their honeymoon nights, but being away from Chi-Chi was probably almost as great. I'm sorry, you really didn't want me to got into that much detail. Did you?" Trunks chuckled at his companion's obvious discomfort.

"Moving on," he started again. "Life was pretty boring. By this time I had a sister, Bra, Goten and I were preparing for high school, and Dad was stepping up my training. But those were also good days.

"It was during this time that Gohan and Videl started a family and made Chi-Chi's life complete by giving her a grandchild named Pan. Goten and I were there when she was born. No force on heaven or earth was going to keep Chi-Chi and my mother from being at Videl's side, so we were drug along.

"For years Pan drove Goten and I absolutely nuts because she 'wanted to spar' with us and she 'wanted to go play in the wilderness, too'. We spent years hiding from her so we could have time to be alone, and as if having to hide from her wasn't bad enough – whenever she found us – she twisted whatever it was we were doing into something bad and then tattled. We were constantly in trouble.

"The day I got my driver's license, I drove out to Goten's to show off it and my new car and hang out, but since Pan was there I ended up driving her all over creation because she had some pictures of me with my girlfriend. I could not stand the little brat! She did everything she could to ruin my life, and believe me, Bra didn't need any help with that. I think I spent more time in the gravity room training as punishment during that time than any before or since.

"Everything was pretty dull after that. I went to high school, graduated first in my class, went to college, graduated - once again - first in my class, and then I fulfilled my mother's dream by taking over the operations of Capsule Corps as soon as I had finished my internship.

"There I was, in my early twenties, running the largest business on the planet, and I was extremely unhappy. I worked nonstop, and I always had my mother breathing down my neck, just waiting for me to screw up so she could yell at me, right along with all the other top-level executives. No one thought I should be running things, other than my mother, who coincidentally held most of the stocks. I constantly had to prove myself more than anyone else, simply because I was young and the son of the previous CEO. I needed to get away.

"Well, I guess that's the end of part one of the story. Do you want to take a break? You could go get some lunch or something before I continue. There's no food here, but I promise you, I'm not going anywhere," Trunks explained to his friend.

"Are you sure you don't mind starting again in a few minutes?" they asked.

"No problem. Besides, I need a few minutes to think about exactly what I'm going to say about the things that happened next. This is where it starts getting confusing and dramatic. I want to get this right, so that you know the truth, finally."

"Okay, I think I'll go to that restaurant I saw right up the street. You're sure this is no problem?"

"I'm sure. You go get something to eat and I'll be right here when you get back," Trunks told them.

"Alright, I'll do that. Do you want anything?" the visitor asked rising to leave.

Trunks just shook his head and watched as his companion walked to the door and left. "It's about time. I only hope everyone can understand. They've never listened before, maybe this time they will. Maybe this one will if no one else does. Either way, I'll be here; I've always been here."

A/N: Well, here we are at the end of chapter one. I wonder what will happen next...You know what to do, hit that review button and let me know what you think. C-ya in the next chapter!