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To Live Again Chapter 4 - The Shopping Spree by Fair Drea Aiden awoke slowly the next morning, stretching and smiling when she felt the luxurious heat of the sun caress her sleep flushed face. She wanted to stay there, cocooned in the warmth of her thick comforter but her stomach growled loudly demanding food. �Damn, and I thought Goku�s stomach was needy!� Startled by the sound of a warm male voice penetrating the thick fog of sleep that surrounded her, Aiden slowly opened deep azure eyes and lifted her head. Trunks sat at the foot of her bed, a wicked grin curving his lips and a tray of waffles, bacon, sausage and orange juice sitting on his lap. He was wearing baggy faded jeans and a black muscle shirt. Well, her half brother certainly did have an impressive amount of muscles for someone his age. �Morning Sis! Ya hungry?� he asked, holding up the tray. �Very,� she said with an easy smile, taking the tray as he pulled down its legs and settled it over her lap. �Wow, this looks really good.� �It is. Mom makes the best waffles�but that�s about it all she does.� Hearing Aiden laugh softly he gave her a warm smile. �Now,� he said, handing her a fork. �You eat and I�ll check on these.� He laid a hand gently on her bandaged foot. �Is that okay?� Mouth already full of waffle, Aiden nodded, extending one long, skinny leg so that he could examine the extent of her wounds. As she ate, slowly and carefully so as not to disturb her stomach that was still not used to so much food, Trunks undid the bandages. When that was done he disappeared, returning moments later with an unlabeled jar, a bottle of peroxide and clean bandages. Following behind him, from what Aiden could tell, was a small robot of some kind. It was a dark metallic color; oval in shape with a blinking rectangular screen for eyes and it hovered above the ground carrying in its tiny claw-like hand a broom. Stopping with the fork midway to her mouth, Aiden gave the little robot a funny look. Trunks chuckled and sat back down on the bed, gently pulling her foot into his lap. �One of mom�s creations. She�s a scientist,� he explained as the robot scurried into the bathroom with a series of beeping noises. �Built it out of one of the bots dad trains with. It�s just to do small cleaning stuff around the house when mom�s too lazy. Stuff like vacuuming the stairs, collecting dirty laundry�sweeping up broken glass.� �Convenient,� Aiden murmured thoughtfully, watching Trunks as he applied peroxide on a cotton swab and carefully dabbed at the cuts on her feet. He glanced up at her once, probably checking to see if the sting of the peroxide affected her. In truth it didn�t. It actually felt good when compared to even the smallest amount of pain she had been dealt in her life. �Mom�s gonna want to check the rest before we go anywhere,� Trunks said, now applying the balm in the unlabeled jar to her cuts and wrapping her foot carefully. Aiden nodded. �That�s fine. I kind of figured she would.� Finishing the dressing on her one foot Trunks motioned for the other one and Aiden complied while feeding herself another forkful of waffle. �There, how does that feel?� he asked minutes later when he had completed fixing up her feet and Aiden had finished her breakfast. Flexing her feet experimentally Aiden smiled. �Better. Thank you Trunks.� �No problem. It�s the least I could do.� He set the medical supplies aside and studied her for a moment, picking out the very many similarities between himself and his new sister. Almost the same color hair, exactly the same eyes. They could have been twins if not for the few years� difference in their ages. She wasn�t short by his standards but then again he hadn�t exactly been born into a tall family. �So, Aiden. You ready to go shopping? I got the day off from school just to be your escort.� She tilted her head to the side in a curious little movement. �Shopping?� she asked as if the very idea was foreign to her. �Yeah. You know�shopping? At the mall? Clothing�toys�shoes�� �I know what shopping is Trunks,� she interrupted with a short laugh. �But I don�t have any money.� �Well you�re in luck. Mom�s never had a daughter so I think she intends to spoil the hell out of you.� Aiden shook her head back and forth. �I�I couldn�t take Bulma�s money,� she argued. �Aiden. I�m not saying this to sound conceited or anything�but mom�s kinda loaded. She�s not going to miss a couple hundred dollars okay? Besides,� he stood up, taking the breakfast tray from Aiden�s lap and setting it on the bedside table, �Mom never takes no for an answer so you might as well just go with it. Now come on. I�ll carry you to the kitchen.� She gave in with a tiny smile, taking Trunks� hands when he offered them to her and allowing him to pull her up from the cozy pile of pillows and blankets. He lifted her effortlessly, not surprising considering the size of him, and cradled her body against his, taking her from the bedroom to the kitchen where Bulma was sitting at the table, a blue steaming mug cupped in her hands and the newspaper spread before her in all it�s black and white/gray splendor. She looked up when they entered and smiled. �Hey guys. Aiden, you�re looking much better this morning.� �Thank you Bulma,� the girl said kindly as her brother set her in a chair next to the blue haired scientist. �And thank you for the breakfast too. It was great.� �I�m glad you liked it.� She looked back down at her paper, saying as almost an afterthought, �So Trunks told me what happened last night.� Aiden swallowed hard, shrinking slightly even though Bulma�s words had been said with curiosity, not rancor. She really had to stop doing that and accept the fact that not everyone was like her mother. �I�I�m sorry. I wasn�t thinking. It just-� �Aiden. It�s okay,� Bulma cut her off, smiling patiently. �It was just a mirror. At least you weren�t seriously hurt although I will be taking a look at those cuts before we go anywhere as well as the rest of your vitals. You are okay to walk aren�t you?� Brushing strands of deep lavender from her face, Aiden carefully tested out each foot, pressing it from toe to heel and back to her toe against the cool linoleum. Although it stung momentarily her feet, for the most part, felt fine. �I think I�ll be okay,� she allowed after pressing both appendages firmly against the floor. �Yeah. I�m good.� �Great. I�ll finish my coffee; well check out those feet and then Trunks will chauffeur us to the mall, carry our bags, and basically be at our beck and call all day! Sounds fun doesn�t it?� Both women laughed as Trunk�s released an exaggerated groan and banged his head against the table. �Oh hun, it�s not going to be that bad,� Bulma said dryly, winking at Aiden over the rim of her coffee cup as she sipped the steaming liquid. Soon the coffee was gone and Trunks was carrying Aiden again as they followed Bulma down a long hallway that Aiden recognized all too well. Back to the hospital wing. Just thinking about that phrase almost made her laugh. She was actually in a house with a hospital wing. Insane. Her mother�s two-story apartment had only a few rooms and none of them were worth bragging about. They were hardly even worth mentioning really. �Set her down there Trunks,� Bulma instructed, pointing at a flat hospital bed as they entered a room much smaller than the one Aiden had first woke up in. Trunks had insisted on carrying her no matter how much she had protested or claimed that she was just fine. He said he was doing his duty as a big brother and that she should shut up and let him catch up on the twenty years he had missed out on. Wisely she had done just that, secretly enjoying being babied by her younger brother. Now he set her gently on the bed and took a seat in a horseshoe shaped chair beside the bed. �So you dressed them last night?� Bulma asked her son as she pulled open a drawer under a stainless steal sink and dug through it, her process accompanied by a few clunks and muffled clangs of metal. Trunks nodded as he rested his elbows on his knees. �Yup. And this morning. Cleaned �em up too. You would have been proud.� Bulma turned with a roll of gauze, a small bottle of peroxide in her hands, a stethoscope draped over her arm and a smile on her face. �I�m always proud of you son.� Approaching the table she laid her equipment on the edge of the bed and started to carefully peel back the gauze Trunks had so carefully wrapped around Aiden�s feet the previous night. �These cuts are pretty shallow. They should probably clear up in a few days especially considering how those Saiyan genes of yours are finally kicking in,� she said as she worked. �Glass always tends to make wounds look much worse then they really are.� �Mom, you really don�t need to do that. I already cleaned them and put that healing salve you have that smells like crap on them.� Trunks leaned back in the chair and folded his hands behind his head. �Honestly woman, give me a little credit here.� Bulma laughed and rewrapped the bandages around Aiden�s one foot then moved to the other. �Alright doc, you don�t mind if I just check them over do you?� she shot back. �Fine by me. It�s not my shopping time you�re taking away from here.� Bulma�s expression turned thoughtful. �Hmm, you�re right Trunks.� Praising Trunk�s for his excellent work as she inspected Aiden�s other foot, Bulma quickly finished what she was doing, gave the young lavender haired woman a thorough check up with several vitamins that she insisted she take until her health was normal. The she left the room, returning shortly after with a change of clothes. �It was all I could really find on short notice so I hope it will do,� she said as she handed Aiden a pair of gray corduroy pants, a black tank top and a blue Capsule Corp. jacket. �The pants are mine�well�at least they were mine until I got older and pregnant�and the shirt belonged to Trunks when he was younger so everything should fit. We�ll wait for you to change out in the hall.� �Thank you,� Aiden said respectfully, watching the two leave and the door close with a hushed whoosh behind them. She studied the clothes for a minute thinking there was something oddly familiar about them then shrugged and traded one set of clothing for another. It was only when she was in the clothes, the shirt just baggy enough to be comfortable and the pants a little large but not too bad, that she realized why she had thought the clothes reminded her of something. Give her a little haircut, say about chin length and she could definitely pull off being Trunks� twin. The only thing I�m missing is the yellow boots, she thought as she tugged on her own white sneakers. Shaking her head Aiden padded across the room and pressed the button for the door. On the other side the first thing she saw was Bulma�s smile and the gray digital camera dangling from her wrist, confirming that the woman had planned the whole thing. �I had to Aiden! And it really was all I had!� she exclaimed, her grin widening. Aiden laughed and turned her gaze to Trunks. �You know she�s going to want a picture of this,� he said dryly, but he was also smiling. He moved to Aiden�s side and wrapped a strong arm around her shoulder. She in turn wrapped one of her slender arms around his waist and rested her head on his shoulder. �Make it quick!� he demanded with false impatience to his mother. Once the flash went and the picture was taken the three turned and walked down the hallway to the front of the house. �You know what I was thinking, Mom,� Trunks asked as he held the front door open for the two women. Bulma slipped on a pair of red, low-heeled pumps, glancing up at her son through wispy strands of aquamarine. �Do I want to know what you were thinking?� �I thought it might be a good idea to check out that new Italian restaurant across the street from the mall for lunch,� he said, ignoring his Mother�s sarcasm, �and�since you�re letting my skip school today consider it my treat.� �Trunks! That�s so sweet of you!� Bulma gave him a quick hung and ruffled his hair. �And it�s a deal.� Standing to the side and watching the affectionate display in silence, Aiden felt a sudden pang of envy and anger so swift, so sudden that it actually scared her. This is what she had been denied all her life? This is the kind of thing her mother refused to give her? She had been clueless as to the kind of real interaction that existed between family members and didn�t involve violence. She had not known people could live together in such harmony and now that she did�she wasn�t sure she wanted to. Bitter resentment for the woman who had given birth to her but not much more then that boiled in her veins, threatening to taint what would have been an otherwise perfect day. Feeling the shift in his sisters emotions as if they were his own, Trunks glanced up to see her watching them intently, her expression unreadable. He could sense the anger though and knew almost immediately why she felt it. And chicks say I�m not perceptive at all, he thought, pulling away from his mother. �Is something wrong hun?� Bulma asked when she saw the worried look on his face. �Nothing Mom,� he replied and stepped around her, approaching Aiden. Without a word he wrapped his arms around her tiny frame and held her tight. The moment he touched her she went stiff, making a tiny muffled noise that may have been a protest. Then, very slowly, she started to relax. Aiden sighed softly, laying her head on Trunks� shoulder as the comforting warmth, provided by the bond they shared, spread through her, calming her mind and dissolving her anger. �Thank you,� she said in a choked whisper. Trunks rubbed her back up and down, up and down, trying to absorb some of her pain with the simple action. �This is your life now. This is your home�we�re your family. Your past is exactly that�your past and I�m going to do my best to help you forget it.� Tears collected in Bulma�s eyes as she watched the way her son gently handled the young woman. Her heart swelled with pride and she sent a silent prayer of thanks to the heavens for blessing her with such a wonderful boy. Starting to feel like she should do something other then stand there staring at the two she moved to Aiden�s side and placed a hand on her back. Aiden lifted her head from Trunks' shoulder and he backed away, allowing Bulma a moment. The aqua-haired scientist smiled reassuringly at the younger woman. A solitary tear had managed to escape and trickled in a tiny wet river down Aiden�s pale cheek. With her thumb, Bulma brushed it away and then cradled the young Saiyan�s face in the palm of her hand. �Whadaya say we go have some fun, huh?� Aiden�s smile was tremulous. �I�d like that,� she murmured. �Okay then.� On impulse Bulma drew the girl to her and enveloped her in a motherly hug. �We�re going to take good care of you hun,� she whispered. Moment over, she straightened, taking the pose of a woman out to issue orders. �Alright. Trunks, you can drive. Aiden can sit shotgun and I�ll just relax in the back.� She turned and started for the car. In an attempt to lighten Aiden�s mood further Trunks grabbed her from behind when she started to follow Bulma and swung her around in a wide circle. For the first time in her life Aiden let go of her inhibitions, let go of her past and laughed. She laughed the laugh of a woman who had finally been freed, who could finally stop being afraid. The laugh of a woman who had been given the chance to live again. *~*~*~* Feeling a distinct sense of euphoria, one so intense and consuming that Aiden couldn�t contain the tiny smile that pulled at her full lips, she walked between Trunks and Bulma through the crowded mall hallway to the food court. There were people everywhere; more than there had been at the school�far more. But they didn�t bother her this time; they didn�t make her feel as if the entire world was closing in all around her. The only reasoning she could find behind this was the fact that she wasn�t taking this situation on alone. The presence of her half brother and his mother made her feel safe. It also gave her an opportunity to do something she rarely ever got a chance to do�observe and enjoy her surroundings. They had already been shopping for well over an hour now and had collected quite a few bags in the process. Although Aiden had protested every time they had entered a clearly expensive department store with windows displaying the latest fall fashions she had been secretly overjoyed. To be able to look at so many clothes and then actually buy them was a dream come true. �So do you think you�re ready for winter?� Bulma asked as the sweet scent of fresh pastries filled the air, mingling with the low drone of voices. Turning her attention from a craft store window display of jack-o-lanterns and costume bedecked teddy bears to the blue haired woman beside her Aiden smiled and nodded. �Probably more than enough,� she commented, swinging a large bag that contained her new stylish bench coat gently back and forth. �I don�t think I�ve ever owned so many clothes in my entire life.� Bulma smiled sweetly at the young woman as a wave of pity washed over her. Damn that evil female for not taking care of Aiden the way a loving mother should. She honestly wouldn�t be surprised if Aiden�s so-called-mother had only provided her with the clothes she had been wearing when Gohan had carried her in yesterday. Keeping a firm reign on her anger, Bulma wrapped her arm around Aiden�s frail shoulders. �We can do this any time you want sweetie. You just say the word. I�m always up for a day of shopping. Now�what do you guys say about hitting that restaurant and making those cooks really work for their paychecks?� Carrying around his own share of bulging shopping bags Trunks perked up. �You�re not going to put a limit on what I eat like you did last time we went out�are you?� �No. And I only did that because you brought Goten and Gohan with. I highly doubt Aiden can out eat a Son. Even if she was at full health.� The three turned towards the exit on the other side of the food court just as a woman came sauntering out of the cheap clothing store they would have passed had they continued going straight. She was dressed in a pair of tight, tapered jeans, black heels, and an indecently small leopard print shirt with a matching faux fur coat. Pausing just outside the glass doors of the store the woman lifted her small black purse and dug through it, a slight frown marring her overly made up face. Seconds later she pulled free a mirrored compact. Flipping it open she checked her bleach blond hair which had been teased and pulled into a sorry excuse for an up do. It was in the middle of reapplying her bright red lipstick that she caught a flash of dusty lavender over the curved rim of the compact. The lid came down with an abrupt snap and the woman�s eyes narrowed to dangerous, glittering slits. Cramming the compact back into her purse, endangering several red lacquered fake nails in the process, she moved into the crowd in search of the owner of the lavender hair. She found her up ahead, walking beside a striking young man with hair of almost the same shade. They were talking animatedly and smiling. The man said something and the young girl laughed, the sound carrying to where the blond woman stood seething. �So this is where you took off to,� Bernadette growled, feeling a blinding rage build within her. She watched as her daughter turned to a stylish blue haired woman and her eyes settled on the circular patch adorning Aiden�s jacket sleeve. She knew that logo. You�d have to be a complete antisocial, uninformed idiot not to. It was the Capsule Corp. logo. �You conniving little bitch,� Bernadette murmured, not being able to keep the note of admiration from her voice. The girl must have learned at least a trick or two from her mother to land herself with a rich, well known family. Well�however admirable it was that she had pulled it off Aiden�s cozy little life style wouldn�t be lasting much longer. Once they found out what a deceitful little slut she really was then Aiden would have no choice but to return home where her ungrateful scrawny ass belonged. And then�ohhh�then she would pay. She would pay dearly for costing Bernadette her best client, she would pay for the pile of dirty dishes that had built up since her disappearance and the filthy carpets and the dirty laundry�and she would seriously pay for the bottle of scotch that had been wasted when Bernadette had shattered it against the wall in her rage. She would beat the unappreciative tramp within an inch of her miserable life. But not now. No, definitely not now. There were way too many people. She had to get the brat alone. With the sadistic gears grinding in her head, working on some kind of plan, Bernadette followed Aiden, remaining a safe distance behind the small group. Never once did Aiden stray from her present company but it was no matter�Bernadette could be patient if that�s what it took. She ended up following the three out of the mall and into the parking lot. Their endless chatter and laughter scrapped like a nail file against her nerves. God she needed a drink�maybe two. She hung back behind a cherry red SUV and watched as the three climbed into a flashy yellow coupe. As they sped off Bernadette stepped out from behind her hiding spot. The sneer that had appeared once her dull gray eyes had spotted her daughter remained; firm as ever, making her appear far more ugly then it would have years ago. �Enjoy it while it lasts hun�because Mama�s going to get you�Mama�s going to find you and make your life a living hell.� *~*~*~* �Aiden sweetheart, could you do me a big favor?� Aiden swiveled her head towards the kitchen door. She was sitting on the couch watching Reno 911 with Trunks who had claimed it was the funniest show ever created�so far she was willing to argue that opinion. �Yeah Bulma?� Bulma appeared in the doorway with a plate pilled high with the remains of their Italian supper. It was straight from the microwave and still steaming, the opaque streams curling into the air. �Will you take this plate to Vegeta. The idiots way too busy training to bother with feeding himself. I swear I have to remind him to eat at least three times a week.� Aiden jumped up, all too grateful to get away from Trunk�s so called �high quality programming� and rounded the couch, her lavender hair hanging loose around her shoulders and swaying back and forth with each step. �Sure. I�ll take it to him.� Bulma handed her the plate and she looked down at the Bruschetta and steak they had ordered just for Vegeta at the restaurant. She was full�but just the smell alone was starting to make her crave food again. The restaurant had been a huge treat for her. Not just for the food but for the experience as well. And once Bulma and Trunks had found out it was her first time in an actual restaurant the meal had turned into a celebration�well, a mini celebration, complete with a massive slice of sinfully delicious and expensive cheesecake layered with thick syrup and plump, juicy strawberries. Part of the cheesecake had been saved, a small enough slice to be enjoyed, and it now perched on the edge of the plate she was to bring her father. �He�s not going to be mad at me for interrupting his training�is he?� she asked, looking back up at Bulma. �Nah. You�ll be fine. He doesn�t know you well enough to start cussing you out,� she said laughingly. �Just go down the hall. It�s the door way on the end on the right side.� Following Bulma�s instructions Aiden headed down the hallway, her stocking covered feet making a gentle swish-swish noise against the gray/blue carpet. As she approached the end of the hallway she could hear a low but distinctive hum�like the hum of several volts of electricity being run through one main device. Her apprehension started to build at the very thought of seeing her father again. The last time she had been with him she had cried all over him like a baby. But what had he expected? For her to be composed at the thought of seeing the dad she had never met? He couldn�t have honestly thought she would be that together�not if he understood what she had gone through before. �Trunks told you not to think about that,� she whispered firmly to herself, forcing back the wave of anger and sickness as she lifted her hand to knock on the door. Her fist made a harsh clanging sound when it hit the door and she flinched, listening to it echo hollowly in the room on the other side. The gentle humming faded, growing lower as a siren does at the end of it�s wailing call. Seconds passed, ticking away, and Aiden�s hands grew sticky with sweat. Why was she so nervous? Vegeta made it very clear yesterday that she was welcome here and yet she could not force away the anxiety. Her father was such an intimidating man, so much more intimidating then he had appeared to be on the television. She couldn�t help but be a little apprehensive of him. Hopefully it would past. Suddenly the door whooshed open and Aiden sucked in a startled breath, her wide eyes staring at the sweat covered Saiyan in front of her. When his ebony gaze landed on her it lost some of its harsh edges and she could have sworn she saw a tiny smirk trying to make its way onto his face. �What is it brat?� he demanded kindly. Lifting the plate, she offered him a smile. �Trunks took us out to eat and we ordered something for you. Bulma warmed it up so it�s nice and hot.� Vegeta grunted, taking the plate from her outstretched hands. Her surveyed the contents critically then shrugged and turned to walk back into the room he had just stepped out of. �Are you coming?� he threw over his shoulder. Moving quickly so as not to arouse any of this famous temper she had heard hints of, she followed him into a massive dome shaped room with a simple computer mounted against the far wall. The lights in the room were dim, giving it a surreal quality. It reminded Aiden of several space related movies she had seen over the years. And it smelled of sweat, sweat and electricity. It wasn�t an unpleasant smell at all but it was different. Different from the stench of her mother�s sweat and whomever she had chose to entertain for the evening. �What is this place?� she asked, her voice hushed with wonder. �It�s a gravity room,� Vegeta stated in his usual monotone manner, taking a seat at a long bench that lined half the wall. �Sit.� She quickly did so, sitting not too close but not too far away from him. �A gravity room?� �Yes. In this room you can raise the level of gravity. Training in such conditions will not only strengthen you but it will also improve your reflexes,� he explained before digging into his supper. Aiden let him eat in silence, her eyes scanning the room. She would bet anything that Bulma had built this. �So why do you train?� she asked after a while, turning her attention back to her father. He finished the few bites left on his plate and set it aside. Regarding her patiently with a look he rarely shared he attempted to explain to this small girl who had seen nothing but violence her entire life why he chose to fight. �For tournaments�for battles.� �Battles?� �Yes, battles. I�m sure I do not need to tell you this but the world we live in is far from perfect. There are forces that most have never heard of that have come here seeking to destroy it. I was one of them once, intent on the destruction of this planet. Kakarott and his friends fight them as I now do. We fight them to save our families, to save the world I suppose. Sometimes the enemies are strong, stronger than you can even imagine�and that is why I train. So that I will not lose. And if I�m not able to defeat them�� he smirked, amazed that he was actually admitting this to his daughter whom he�d just met yesterday, �Kakarott usually takes care of them.� Aiden threw a perplexed look to her feet and chewed on her bottom lip, no doubt working over his words in her mind. She probably didn�t understand the need to fight, not just yet, but one day she would. Vegeta sighed and brushed the back of his hand against his perspiring forehead. �I also fight because it�s in my blood to do so. I was raised to be a warrior. That�s what the Saiyan race was Aiden, they were warriors.� She nodded slowly, unsurely. �That�that�s what I am?� she whispered the question and surprisingly there was no fear in her voice, only understanding for what he had passed on to her. �Yes, that�s what you are,� he murmured, his eyes falling to where her tail waved lazily back and forth. �If you want it gone it can be removed. Kakarott�s was�mine was, though not by choice I assure you.� �No!� she said quickly. Her bright blue eyes lifted to his and she smiled. �I like it. I�I�d like to keep it.� Deep pride filled Vegeta as he stared down at his daughter. She was still tiny, far too small by Saiyan standards but that would all change with time. He would make sure of it. �You need to be trained,� he stated with a careless shrug. �I suppose I should be the one to do it.� Aiden ducked her head, hiding the smile that had grown considerably larger. �I would like to be. I don�t like feeling helpless Vegeta.� His fingers were at her chin then, pressing up, forcing her to look at him once more. His ebony eyes, so deep and fathomless that they would probably never cease to startle her, gazed intently at her. �You will never have to feel helpless again,� he said evenly. They stared at each other for a moment longer, father and daughter learning several things about one another in the silence, and then Vegeta smirked and briefly ruffled her hair. �Out. I�m going to train more before that noisy woman forces me to go to bed.� Aiden laughed softly and stood. �Thank you Vegeta.� She turned on her heel and left a smiling Vegeta behind. *~*~*~* The sky swept past him in a blur of stars and wispy clouds that reflected the blazing colors of the setting sun. He flew determinedly towards Bulma�s, his book bag slung over his shoulders and a smile of anticipation pulling at his lips. The biting autumn wind stung his face but it felt wonderful. It had been a long day for Gohan and an even longer evening sitting at the table with his brother as they waited for their mother who had taken her sweet time making supper. Finally, with supper behind him and his affirmation that he wouldn�t be home too late firmly planted in Chichi�s head, Gohan was making his way over to the Breif�s to drop off Aiden�s homework. Or at least that was the excuse he had fed everyone. Honesty he just wanted to see her, make sure she was still there and not some figment of his often-overactive imagination. And he wanted to make sure she was okay. All day he had thought of her. He�d imagined what her past must have been like, tried to imagine what she was going through but for the most part he just thought about how perfect she was with her tiny pert nose and her large blue eyes that sparkled every time she smiled. His imagination had got the best of him in sixth period when he had allowed his mind to wander and create images of Aiden in his arms, Aiden clinging to him as she whispered his name passionately. That little slip had gotten him extra homework�but it had been well worth it. The Capsule Corp. building came into view and Gohan pushed himself a little faster. Landing on the front yard he ran up to the door and knocked impatiently. Bulma answered it a few seconds later. �Hey there Gohan!� she said cheerfully, �Here with Aiden�s homework?� �Yup,� he answered, slightly breathless from his flight over. �She�s upstairs in the guestroom. Want me to tell her you�re here?� Gohan skipped past her and smiled, spinning around to face her as he walked backwards towards the stairs. �Nope. I�ll just go up if that�s okay.� Bulma chuckled softly, figuring out the one thing that it had taken Vegeta only a quick glance to understand. Gohan had it bad for Aiden. Oh boy, that spelled trouble in bold letters. But then again, Aiden was a hell of a lot better then the daughter of the great Hurcule. Bah, Great Hurcule my ass, she thought. Gohan would be much happier with Aiden. She nodded to the eager demi Saiyan. �Sure thing Gohan. Go right on up.� Gohan did just that, his foot hitting the first step before the words had even left her mouth. He took the stairs two at a time and was at Aiden�s door in mere seconds. The door stood wide open so without a seconds thought he stepped into the doorway and came to an abrupt stop, his breath leaving his lungs in a sudden whoosh. Aiden stood with her back to him, her legs clad in a pair of velvety flowing mauve pajama pants that clung to every curve. Her top consisted of a simple, slightly transparent white top with tiny spaghetti straps. She was leaning against her vanity, her curious blue eyes examining the reflection of a tiny scar that ran across the outside of her shoulder. Small fingers dabbed lightly at the skin, causing the redness of the scar to fade briefly and return. And then she saw his reflection in the mirror. �Oh�hello Gohan,� she said softly as a delicate blush stained her cheeks and she turned around. Clearing his throat Gohan stepped into her room, never taking his eyes from hers. �Hey,� he replied just as quietly. �I was just,� she made a feeble gesture towards the mirror, �well�it�s the strangest thing. Yesterday this scar was an actual cut�and now-� She shrugged her shoulders because she could not find the words to describe what she was feeling exactly. He smiled. �Bulma said your Saiyan traits would kick in soon. Didn�t expect it to happen so quickly?� �Not exactly,� she murmured, returning his smile. Gohan pulled the strap of his bag over his head and went to the bed, placing the bag down on the comforter. He opened it and found an English/Lit book he had borrowed from the teacher for Aiden. Her assignments for the day he had painstakingly written down and tucked inside the slightly abused cover, which also now held one of his own notebooks that he hadn�t used yet. He figured Aiden could probably use a notebook and of course it wasn�t impossible for him to get a new one. Hell, his mom had bought at least thirty of them on wholesale not even an hour after the word �college� had been muttered in her presence. �There�s not really a lot to do. Just basically reading. You�re going to need to get more books. I was only able to borrow the one from our Lit teacher.� Aiden went to the bed, staring at the book in astonishment. She could see the notebook peeking out from inside and also see the word �assignments� scrawled in masculine handwriting across the top of a slip of paper that had started to work its way free with the notebook. Gohan�s handwriting. �You�did all of this for me?� she asked softly. �Um�well,� he shifted from one foot to the other and scratched the back of his head, �yeah. We have some of the same classes and�and it wasn�t really that much work.� �I didn�t even ask you to,� she murmured. She looked up at him then and when she did she realized two things. One, he was so so close and two, he was the most amazing thing she had ever seen in her life. Everything about him drew her�his coal black eyes, his short, unruly hair, the smell that was so undeniably his; a mixture of something hungry and wild that wreaked havoc on hormones which had only now begun to show her that they existed. Never before had she known what it was like to want a man�s hands on her body�but she did now. Oh god did she ever. Her hands practically ached with the need to touch him. Little did she know that Gohan was experiencing the same feeling only considerably more intense. He hadn�t ever dealt with the kind of abuse that had been inflicted upon her and therefore was not afraid to wonder what it would feel like to have her beneath him, to have her soft hair sifting through his fingers as he placed gentle kisses over every part of her body. When he found his voice it came out husky and not at all sounding like his. �You didn�t have to ask me to Aiden.� His name was whispered past her lips and her body swayed towards him. He reacted to it as if in a spell, lifting his hand to gently grip her arm, bending slightly to claim what he had wanted to since the very moment he had seen her. But he didn�t. �Hey Gohan, you up here?� Trunks called, his voice drifting through the doorway. The two jerked apart just as he walked in, each of them blushing furiously and attempting to look innocent. Luckily Trunks wasn�t exactly in the position to be noticing the tell tale signs of a major attraction between two people. His blue eyes, so much like Aiden�s, shone with excitement. �What are you guys doing on the 31st?� he asked. �Halloween night? Nothing that I know of,� Gohan replied, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. They always did that when Trunks sounded like he had a plan. Aiden gave him a tiny smile and shrugged. �I haven�t exactly planned that far ahead Trunks. I don�t even know what I�m doing tomorrow.� �Great�great,� the young Saiyan said, a wicked smirk curving his lips. �What�s going on Trunks?� Gohan asked, now seriously wary of the younger mans motives. �Costume party at Buckner�s downtown,� he said matter-of-factly as if that should explain everything. �That�s a bar Trunks. You know you can�t get in there unless you�re 20.� �Oh�no worries about that Gohan. Goten and I will find a way.� [ Previous | Next Chapter ] |