A Moment In Time

Pan hummed softly as she walked through her garden. It was a beautiful spring day and she just couldn't sit inside anymore. She'd been sitting indoors for what seemed like months and she needed to move around. The modestly sized home she and Trunks lived in was comfortable but, she just wanted a change of scenery.

Restlessly, she rubbed her swollen stomach. Her babies were due any day now. She smiled as she remembered Trunks' expression when they found out that they were going to have twins. First, he asked the doctor to repeat himself, then he looked at Pan questioningly, and when she nodded happily, he let out joyful laugh...and then passed out.

When Pan relayed the news of the twins, everyone was ecstatic. Well, almost everyone. After accidentally hearing his mother give her account of giving birth to him, he had panicked. It was all Pan could do to distract him, so that he wouldn't hover over her as he had the past month. Right at that moment, he was busy making her lunch. She had ingeniously picked a recipe she knew he'd have trouble with.

She picked a small purple bloom, and twirled the stem between her fingers. She gasped and dropped the flower when she felt one of the babies kicked. Taking deep breaths, she sat down on the edge of the flower bed, and just rested.

I'm going to be a mother.

The responsibilities that came with that position had frightened her at first. There had been many nights when she and Trunks had stayed awake, discussing their growing family, and succeeded in scaring each other to the point that there were even more sleepless nights thereafter.

The fact that they were having children so soon after getting married was a bit of an accident. They were planning on having children maybe after two years. That plan went a little awry, since here they were with twins on the way and they were two days from their first wedding anniversary.

Footsteps broke Pan from her reverie. She turned her head towards the sound, and smile when she saw her husband. He gave her an exasperated look, and sat down next to her.

"I've been calling you all over the house," he said. "You really should tell me where you're going."

She nudged him playfully with her elbow. "I just thought I would escape from your guard for a few minutes. It's just such a beautiful day."

He looked hurt. "You wanted to get away from me?"

She looped her arm through his and rested her head on his comfortable shoulder. "Of course not." She kissed his smooth cheek. "I love being guarded by you. I just thought the babies might like some fresh air."

He smiled, and rested his head against hers. She took a deep breath and his scent invaded her senses. The clean, fresh smell that was simply Trunks. She sighed contentedly. She couldn't wait until the twins came. Then, they would be complete. That is...until the next time...

"Your lunch is ready," he said. "It took some doing, but I finally got that stupid dish to be palatable."

He got up and helped her to her feet. He walked slowly to accommodate her speed.

"We're going to have to start training after I have these guys," Pan gasped. "I'm terribly out of shape."

He put an arm around her still slender shoulders. "You look absolutely breathtaking for a pregnant woman," he murmured.

"Sweet talker."

He grinned.

"Seriously," she said soberly. "We really need to start training. If you won't, I'm going to ask your father to get me back into shape."

"Do you honestly think that that's a good idea?"

"Trunks, I miss seeing my feet."

He broke out into a fit of laughter. She smacked his arm, and smiled reluctantly.

"Don't laugh at me! It's true. I've forgotten what they look like."

He was still laughing when they sat down for lunch. Pan poked at the mushy looking yellow goo hesitantly. Trunks watched her.

"Try it," he prodded.

"You know I'm carrying your children right? I mean, what goes in my mouth will end up in their delicate digestive systems. Ask yourself this: Would you want your sons or daughters, or son and daughter to eat this?"

Trunks gave her a look. "Just try it."

She speared a tiny piece with her fork and put it in her mouth. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"This is good," she exclaimed.

He smirked. "I know. Now, I just have to make it look pretty."

Pan eyed the concoction. "That you do. It tastes a WHOLE lot better than it looks."

"Thanks...I think."

They finished eating, and Pan began to feel drowsy. They retreated to the bedroom. Trunks was looking weary himself. He had stayed up with her the night before when she was feeling some discomfort, and they had walked in the garden.

Pan curled up next to him, and closed her eyes. She must have slept maybe an hour before they flew open again. She gasped when a pain shot up from her abdominal muscles. Involuntarily, her hand had gripped Trunks' arm as the contraction ran its course. He woke up with a yell.

"OW!" he cried.

"DITTO!" she yelled.

He shot up from bed. "It's time?"

She nodded, unable to speak. He ran around the room, pulling on his clothes, then he called the hospital to tell them that they were coming. He pulled Pan up from the bed. She walked a few paces before collapsing again. He hefted her up in his arms and ran outside before leaping up and flying towards the hospital.

"Breathe," Trunks coached. "Breathe."

"I am!" Pan screamed in his face. She was bathed in sweat, and breathing hard.

"The contractions are coming closer together, doctor," the nurse said.

The medical team hovered near the business end of the bed. Pan huffed. Trunks tried not to pass out when she squeezed his hand during a particularly violent contraction, and broke his fingers.

"You're doing great," he cheered on. "You're doing a good job, Pan."

She only gave him a dirty look. He had a feeling they wouldn't be enjoying their usual marital pleasures for many months after this.

"Keep on breathing. Just look at me," he told her, tilting her face towards him. "I'm your focal point."

"At least you're nice to look at," she managed to say with a watery smile.

He kissed her forehead. "I love you. I'm glad you're having my children."

"I'm glad I'm having our children, too."

He smiled and wiped the sweat from her face with a towel. "This is a good workout for you."

"Shut up."

In the waiting room, the two sets of grandparents, Goten, Bura, and Chichi waited. Goten and Bura paced the room, while Gohan and Videl clutched each other's hands on the couch. Vegeta stood near the window. Bulma and Chichi were talking excitedly.

"I bought the cutest little outfit," Bulma was saying. "I was going to bring it over to show Pan today, but I guess that'll have to wait." She chuckled.

"I finished sewing the curtains for the nursery," Chichi said. "They're so pretty! I used lace."

"I remember. I think you showed it to me..."

"Would you two be quiet!!" Vegeta demanded. "You're giving me a headache."

"Oh, shut up," Bulma snapped.

They glared at each other.

"How long is this going to take?" Vegeta asked, turning back to the window.

"Who knows," Bulma answered. "It's hard to tell. You Saiya-jins have the bad habit of creating large babies."

"Procreating," Vegeta corrected. "You humans have half the blame."

Goten ran a hand through his black hair. "I wonder how she's doing."

Bura wrung her hands. "She's strong. It'll be over soon, and I'll have new nieces, or nephews."

"Or both," Chichi pointed out.

"That's right," Bura said, smiling shakily.

Goten put an arm around her. "Don't worry. Trunks will be here any second..."

As if on cue, Trunks burst through the door. He was sweaty, and disheveled, but he was grinning broadly.

"I'm a father!" he exclaimed happily.

The entire group cheered--except for Vegeta, who merely smiled--and rushed towards him.

"What are they?" Bura inquired, grabbing handfuls of his scrubs.

"A boy and a girl," the proud father replied. "They're beautiful. Let's go see them."

He started to lead them out of the room, when Bura grabbed his arm. She took his hand gingerly in hers. It was wrapped in a cast.

"What happened?" she asked.

"Um...Pan was a little too enthusiastic about holding my hand," he replied.

They laughed.

The boisterous group made their way to the nursery. They had their noses pressed to the window as the nurse brought the babies up to be seen. Trunks glowed with pride as his family crowed over his son and daughter. In response, the two babies burst into tears.

"What are their names?" Videl asked, hooking her arm through Trunks'.

"Goket, and Lei," he answered.

"Beautiful," Gohan breathed.

"Look, Dad," Bura said, pointing. "Goket has your hair."

Vegeta looked at the tiny baby with the lavender hair that stood straight up from his head. "He should be proud that he bears the mark of his heritage," he said, casting a disapproving eye at his son's fine, straight hair.

"Lei looks exactly like Pan did when she was a baby," Videl told Gohan.

"I know. Except for the hair."

"She looks like Pan with lavender hair," Bulma said.

They fussed some more before going to visit Pan. Trunks allowed them to stay for a few minutes, but he pushed them all out the door when Pan looked like she was about to drop. When it was quiet in the room again, the nurse brought in their children in their cribs.

Trunks picked up Goket and placed him in his mother's arms, while he held Lei in his own. Pan stared down at the sleeping face of her son. A face that was identical to the one that was now looking tenderly at her.

"You did great today," he said to her.

"Thank you. I think it was the greatest performance of my life."

He laughed, and reached out to brush back a lock of her hair. "They're beautiful. The most beautiful babies I've ever seen."

"And they're all ours."

His hand slipped down to clasp hers. Lei yawned and snuggled deeper into her father's arms. Goket wrinkled his tiny nose, and waved his chubby arms in the air. Pan caught one of his hands in hers, and kissed it. The fear she'd harbored the second she found out she was going to be a mother disappeared. She loved these babies unconditionally, and knew that she would always watch over them. She knew that she and Trunks would make mistakes, but that they would never let their children down.

She looked up and met his sky blue eyes. He smiled. The world seemed to stand still as they stared at each other. With their children, and their love, neither wanted anything more. It was a moment in time that would be remembered forever.

Three days later, Trunks entered their bedroom on tiptoe. On the bed, Pan was curled up, fast asleep. In his hands he held a bouquet of red roses. At the sound of the rustling paper the roses were wrapped in, Pan stirred and awoke. She smiled sleepily when she saw him.

"Hi," she greeted, her voice still raspy from sleep.

Trunks put the roses by her bed and kissed her forehead. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got run over by a really big trunk."

Trunks chuckled. Pan picked up the roses and buried her nose in them. He brushed his hand across her cheek before crossing the room to where there were two cribs set up. In one crib, a tiny baby with lavender hair sticking straight up slept, its tail twitching. Trunks touched his son's cheek with a finger. Goket had a face resembling Goku's, except for the blue eyes, and the scowl that appeared when he didn't get his food on time. Trunks smiled to himself. Vegeta had been aghast when it became clear that the baby had inherited his hair and Goku's face. Bulma had nearly fallen over with laughter.

In the other crib, the little girl with Pan's face, his lavender hair and blue eyes stared up at the ceiling. Trunks picked Lei up carefully, feeling her tail wrap around his wrist.

"We should get those cut off before we have two giant monkeys on a rampage," Pan said, standing next to him.

Trunks gave her a look. "Get back in bed."

Pan scowled at him. "Give me my daughter."

He handed the tiny girl to her mother and helped them both to the bed. Even after three days, Pan was still sore from the birth. Lei nuzzled against her mother.

"She's so beautiful," Pan whispered, smiling at her husband. "They're the best anniversary present I've ever gotten."

"You mean you didn't like my flowers?" Trunks said, feigning hurt.

Pan smiled.

In his crib, Goket let out a yell that could have woken up half the city. Trunks got up and picked up his son. In the capable arms of his father, Goket quieted and blinked his big eyes at Trunks. Trunks cooed at his son, letting him wrap his tiny fingers around Trunks' index finger.

"He'll grow up to be a handsome guy," Trunks observed.

"Just like his dad, right?"

"Of course."

Lei gurgled happily as Pan kissed her chubby hands. Trunks looked at them. He had wanted more than anything to go home when he'd been at work all day. It had taken all he had not to jump out the window ten minutes after getting into his office. But, now that he had kids, he knew he had to start taking his job seriously. He had to support a family, and be a good role model.

Pan wrapped an arm around his waist and smiled up at him. He smiled back and put an arm around her slender shoulders. She had never imagined that she could be so happy. With Trunks at her side and his children in her arms, she wanted nothing more... except perhaps more little lavender haired boys and girls.

Trunks wiggled his fingers at Lei, grinning. Pan caught his fingers in her free hand and laced hers through them. He gazed into her eyes, into her soul and saw her love for him in its depths. An echoing love shone in his eyes.

"I love you," he whispered before his lips descended onto hers.

Their children gurgled cheerfully as they kissed.