It hurt. It hurt so much. My heart was dying slowly, painfully. I was fighting him. It was a battle to the death. You could feel the killing intent, his was more noticeable then mine. I don't want to kill him… but he was hurting my family and the look on there faces. The awe, the respect and the suspense as they watched our fight, watching me expectantly. All of them wanted me, Me, to kill him, to end his life. I had to do it; it was for the sake of the family. I could see a part of him that didn't want to fight but the part of him wouldn't let him, the one that wanted the world in his palm.

I had to end this and he knew it, he knows what was going to happen next. I could see the glint in his eyes. He was waiting for the moment I was going to kill him. And that broke me.

Taking a shuddering breath I charged up an X-burner, waiting for the conformation to go. No one knew that every single time the percentage was getting closure to completion was killing me. 100 percent blinked before my eyes and locked on its target.

Then he looked at me as my flames were going to turn him into ash. He wouldn't survive, I knew this was my strongest X-burner yet and he knew it too. Our eyes locked one more time as he smiled at me, mouthing three simple words.

Then he was gone. He was turned to ash that flew away in the breeze.

My family greeted me, congratulating my victory, saying how strong and cool I was. I was still in the sky my flames losing there bright shine. Slowly my flames were gone and then I was falling.

I didn't care. I couldn't hear their screams that went straight through me, as I fell from the sky, my sky.

The words flew across my mind and never faltering, those words were breaking me until I shattered.

Then suddenly the cold hard feeling of solid ground as I finally crashed into the earth, leaving a crater with me in the middle. I couldn't let them see me like this. The thought struck me.

I had to be strong for my family, I'm the boss they shouldn't see me like this, all broken like shards of glass.

The dust gathered around me as small bits of debris fell on to me. Opening my eyes I see everyone surrounding me, fretting over me like a new born baby, but with deep worry in their eyes as they saw my injuries.

After that everything was a blur, it happened so fast I couldn't keep up. Going back to the base to treat my injuries I couldn't cry from the physical pain unless I wanted everyone to know my emotional distress. Even I knew my face was blank during everything and no one knew my thoughts on the matter. My injuries treated and saying our goodbyes we went back home. Then everything was normal. But it wasn't.

They had a party for the defeat of him, our victory, his defeat, and for me and my achievements, I couldn't stay. They were all happy, and having fun while I was ever so slowly dying on the inside, I couldn't bring myself to smile as everyone laughed and cheered or is just having a good time, I just couldn't smile. I was a broken shell.

I left them to there party because I couldn't handle their smiles that were directed to me. They didn't notice it but there was one wound that never could heal. They have no idea that they shattered the least piece of my broken heart.

Sitting on the hill beside the river, I just stared, stuck in my thoughts.

"Hey dame-Tsuna, why aren't you celebrating the defeat of Byakuran with your familgia?" Reborn asked with his voice sounding proud, proud of me for killing him. Then those three simple words, with so much meaning entered my mind. I couldn't hold back the tears I tried to hide. I cried, I sobbed and all the misery, frustration and pain that was bubbling inside me exploded.

I didn't even know that when I was crying my family came to get me, that they heard my broken cries as I sobbed my sorrows.

'I love you'

'I love you'

'I love you'

He broke me with those words and the tears wouldn't stop. I love you too, oh my god, I love you!