Xanxus quivered with rage. He hated being here. The very idea of being at anyone's mercy, especially this particular person's was awful. At the Vongola Ninth's mercy, the man he so hated.

"You need what?" Timoteo gasped.

Xanxus's sole consolation was that he had startled the man. And made his voice pitch to a yelp.

"Help." Squalo growled from his boss's side.

The swordsman was twitching and seething. He loathed this even more than Xanxus. He could just feel his namesake wilt and crumble under the crushing blow. But this mission was far too important, far too personal. It had to succeed. It would be a suicide plunge without Vongola support.

"The damn boss won't say it again and neither will I."

The Nono sat down heavily. "Help? What for? Why now?"

"The Kessime Famiglia stole something." The shark stated. "Something extremely personal and highly sensitive."

The word personal struck him as odd but. "So you need them destroyed?"

"Tch. We could have done that ourselves." Xanxus crossed his arms. "They ran like the rats they are smack into Dinhe territory, to their manor there."

"We need an escort. We can't take two famiglias and retrieve the package." Squalo finished loudly.

The older Vongola was studying the two. They were obviously desperate to get whatever it was back. Timoteo was wise enough not to ask what they were retrieving. He was glad they had asked for an escort. They had a tentative peace with the Dinhe and an assassin invasion would likely throw that off.

"Very well." The Nono nodded. "You will have your escort, transportation, and I personally shall go with you. I must ask though, this personal article, is it worth a lot to you?"

The Varia looked at each other. There was the strangest expression between them.

"It's worth more than our very lives." Squalo answered as they both swung to leave.

The door slammed heavily and Timoteo was left gaping. To assassins the most important thing was their lives. What could possibly be so important? He vowed to learn this little secret himself.

"All loaded up sir."

Timoteo nodded. "Waiting on the Varia then. Return to your car."

"Shouldn't have to wait too much longer." An excitable voice chimed.

Lussuria, Bel, and Mammon walked to their assigned car. Levi trailed behind but got in too.

"Ushishi. Better watch out." Be laughed. "Boss is pissed." He slammed the door to the second car in the lineup.

The grey haired man heard the shouting before he could make out words.

"HOW FUCKING DARE YOU EVEN BRING IT UP!"

"VOI! IT'S YOUR FAULT IN THE FIRST PLACE. IF ANYTHING HAS HAPPENED TO THEM I'LL HAVE YOUR HEAD!"

"MY FAULT?! WHOES FAULT IS IT?"

"YOURS!" Squalo nearly screamed.

The sound stopped approaching and silence dropped down heavily.

"You're right. It is my fault. I swear if something happened to them you have my life."

It got very quiet.

"I don't think I could live with it either."

"Squalo …"

"Voi. Let's get going."

The two tall Varia people stepped out of the shadows. They ignored the Vongola boss. It was a long and tedious car ride for the car containing the Ninth, Xanxus, Squalo and Ninth's subordinates, because they wouldn't leave him alone with these people ever.

As soon as the cars stopped Timoteo was ready to give orders. He opened his mouth to speak when he realized there were no longer assassins sitting in front of him. He jerked his head over. The car door was open and the Varia elite minus Levi were on the front porch breaking down the door. The larger lightning guardian was disappearing around the corner. The others vanished into the manor. Lights and yells woke the night.

"Look out!" Timoteo yelled.

Riflemen and archers chewed onto the roof. The Vongola retreated behind their bullet-proof cars and returned fire.

"Boss, should we send a team after them?" A subordinate asked.

The boss looked at the house. "No, let them work." He could feel a powerful charge for this mission on the part of the Varia and another feeling. A Vongola Intuition warning that anyone he sent in would not return. The Varia was at work here.

The Vongola easily held their place picking off targets from the roof. The vehicles were built perfectly for this function. There was a sudden shaking as an explosion rocked the building. Windows turned red with flames lapping at the walls. Five figures leapt in a billow of smoke out of the broken door. Xanxus and Squalo led the way burdened with lumpy cloth wrapped bundles. They paused and the scarred man blasted off a shot of rage flames into the air. Green lightning crawled over the entire place at the signal.

"VOI! LET'S GO!" The swordsman yelled. "LOAD UP!"

"Everyone in!" Timeteo called out loudly.

Levi came running. Everyone jumped into the nearest car at the threatening feeling of a building explosion. Timoteo found himself sitting alone across from the Varia boss and the Varia captain. The driver was cut off by tinted and sound proof glass leaving Timeteo unguarded. Neither assassin was paying any attention anyways. They pushed the blankets off their bundles.

"Vroi." Squalo hummed. He ran his fingers through the black longish hair of a very young girl. "You're alright. It's fine."

Xanxus silently manipulated a delicate looking silver haired boy. Timeteo went completely still at the sight of twin sets of crimson eyes. The twins gripped the two Varia tightly. They didn't cry, just clung. Like is the tendency in kids, they fell asleep with the release of stress. Timoteo suddenly realized just how gaunt and tired looking the two young adults looked as Squalo leaned against Xanxus. The boss put an arm over his shoulder and the swordsman quickly fell asleep as well.

The first half of the ride was just as strained as before. The greying man studied the little ones in their parent's laps. Xanxus pointedly ignored him looking out the window. Two sleepy children and the shark under his adopted son's arm.

"Are they truly yours?" He had to know.

Xanxus stiffened and nodded curtly toward the dark window.

"And his as well?"

"He bore them." The scarred person growled.

Silence fell for a while until Xanxus spoke again. "They changed everything."

"Children have the tendency to do that." Timoteo chuckled. "You turned the house on its head."

The other male nodded seemingly skipping a great many of the thoughts in his mind. "The first time I felt … fear. It's been so long but when they were gone I found it. He can take care of himself but when they were endangered…"

"Mmhmm." The grey boss hummed. "Parenthood is one of the most powerful emotions on earth. An even more basic instinct than eating."

"Did it …" His adopted son paused. "Did it bother you?"

Timoteo understood immediately. So many years ago, during the Cradle Invasion. "It felt like I was wrenching the soul from my chest. I had to put down the child I had cared for." Freezing Xanxus had nearly killed him.

Xanxus stilled. "I'm not …. proud of some aspects of the past."

The Vongola boss was shocked. He knew the man before him and his particular way of apologizing. These twins were truly that powerful that they had even changed the assassin's temperament? The rage flame controller himself? No. Not changed, channeled. He could see none of the rage had left him, it was merely put to a cause, a good cause by any measure. "You're forgiven."

Their eyes met, crimson and brown. Xanxus looked away first when the small boy in his arms hiccupped.

Timoteo laughed quietly. "I have grandchildren that tamed the Varia."

Xanxus didn't laugh. It would have woken his family but a smile threaded his face just the tiniest bit.

"May I?" The older man asked holding his arms in a kind of cradle.

The scarred father hesitated then leaned forward as far as having a subordinate under his arm would let him. They carefully transferred the sleeping child. Timoteo pulled the on-the-brink-of-being-too-large-to-hold bundle to his chest. It was so light.

He cooed to the little boy softly. "You look quite a bit like I remember your Mother looking when he was small. What's his name?"

"Eroici." Xanxus said.

The little silver head stirred to its name. Thankfully though he stayed asleep. One other silver headed male however, did not. Squalo opened his eyes with an alertness that only men who have hunted and have been hunted possess. The liquid mercury slid between the two frozen figures.

"Voi." He kept fairly quiet. "I feel as if I missed an important discussion."

"That you did." Timoteo smiled.

Squalo sat up a bit still staying tight to Xanxus's side.

"What is the girl's name?" The man rocking the boy asked.

"Xanxania." Squalo grinned. "She is the one I named."

The Ninth swung a shrewd glance to Xanxus.

The boss shrugged. "Wasn't me."

The shark chuckled. "Just like Eroici wasn't me."

"Mhmm." The dark haired boss closed his eyes and tilted his head to the silver mane.

Squalo tilted his head to see his boss's closed eyes. "So are you two all made up and stuff?"

"Almost." Timoteo said feeling a bit devious. "You owe me for this little mission and my fee is hefty for so much trouble."

Both adults stiffened. The old Vongola enjoyed their tension for a bit while he ran coddled the child. He really was cute.

"When they turn twelve I wish to introduce them publically to the entirety of the Vongola Familigia." He looked up. "And I wish to visit my grandchildren fairly often."

Squalo let out a held breathe. "Voi. That's not bad."

"We will accommodate this." Xanxus agreed. Behind his eyes he looked very tired to the two people in the car that knew him.

Squalo put his boot on Xanxus's leg and shoved. The shark slid across the seat a bit. The boss lay down on his back, exhausted. The scarred face rested on the swordsman's leg. Xanxus breathed out slowly and the rest of the ride was quiet alternating naps and a great amount of babying children.

The Nono slid passed the subordinate quaking at the door. The poor newbie really was quite young and the boss didn't have any men with him so the kid must think there's trouble.

"Which way?" Timoteo asked again.

The teen shakily pointed down a hallway. The older man followed his finger. He walked down and down and down. Honestly the Varia building was so very, very large. What in the world did they need all this space for? It seemed like a darn good place to hide things though. People too. Perhaps the manor's entire purpose was hiding, like hiding two small children. A noise suddenly caught his ears. High pitched laughter tumble through the doorway.

"Voi."

Now that voice was more familiar.

"What do you want on these?"

Two voices chimed without words, just the screechy frilly sounds of young children. The only actual word he caught was momma.

"Butter it is then."

Timoteo smiled. He remembered talking with babies when they couldn't say things back.

"There you go. Voi! Now what do you say?"

Something sort of on the sound basis of thank you garbled out.

"You're very welcome." The twin voices laughed. "Voi! Whoever is at the door, you coming in or what?"

Nono started a bit then shrugged. Assassin. Ah well. He pushed in the door.

Squalo jumped at the sight. "Vrio. Vongola Nono."

"Good morning Squalo." The grey haired man greeted.

The twins were sitting in their tall seats at the table with two plates of those microwave waffles cut into really small pieces. They were arranging them together while they ate. Little boy made a small tower and garbled excitedly to his sister. She applauded him enthusiastically.

"Did you want a waffle?" Squalo asked taking a shark sized bite out of his own fluffy disc.

Timoteo quirked an eyebrow. "If you have one to spare from your brood."

The long silver haired male set down a plate at the table. The older man sat down at the table with the twins. Squalo slumped down into another chair.

"Where is Xanxus? Not very good with the kids in the morning?"

Squalo shook his head. "No, he's usually up by now but he got in really late last night. His mission ran a bit longer than it was supposed to."

"Is he all right?" Nono asked immediately recognizing it was a stupid question.

"Of course." He said scornfully. "You think we would be down here if he wasn't?"

"Papa!" The little girl suddenly cried.

"Mornin'" Xanxus greeted slowly, eyeing Timoteo.

The old man held up a hand placatingly. "I came to visit only."

Xanxus nodded and went over to the oven and opened it. "Thanks sharkie." He pulled out a serving of pancakes.

"Vroi." Squalo replied chewing ravenously. "You could have slept more. No one has anything to do today except Bel."

Xanxus sat down with his typical petulant glare but it was softened. Timeteo watched him take a bite then apparently decided it was safe to eat as well. The twins babbled to their parents who simply watched in amusement returning with a smile, or in the Varia boss's case a half not unpleasant grimace. Finally Xanxania pointed at the grey haired old boss and gabled to her parents.

Squalo looked at him. "Voi, what are you to them?"

He set down his fork. "What do you mean?"

"Grandfather, Grandpa, Paps?" Xansus listed boredly.

"Grandpa strikes a chord." Timeteo smiled adoringly at his little grandchildren. "Can you say Grandpa?"

"Gam-pa!" The little girl exclaimed jubilantly.

Eroici tried it more slowly. "Guh-an-pa."

The shadow of a smile painted Xanxus's face. It went silent listening and eating. The twins talked to all of them. The funny thing was the girl was the leader. She spoke the most, the fastest, and forced her brother to talk too. The boy seemed less sure of himself and only steadied by the fact that his sibling was there.

"They seem inseparable." Timeteo laughed.

Both parents groaned.

"Voi. Don't even start on the last time they had to be apart." Squalo rubbed his forehead. "I don't even remember what it was but it was hell."

Xanxus nodded in agreement. He seemed very relaxed for the violent boss of the Varia. All together they made quite a picture. The two high class assassins and the twin children, and an old man, long past his prime.

"Down?" Eroici asked holding out his arms, having finished his breakfast.

Xanxus actually got up and set his son on the ground.

"Me too. Me too." The little girl cried joyfully. "Dada. Me too!"

The huge male picked her up and she looked at him giggling happily. Xanxania put her hand on his face gentle. You could watch the freezing heart of the boss just shatter then reform as he set the girl down to grab her brother's hand. They wandered into the corner of the kitchen and sat down facing each other.

Xanxus sat down nest to his shark again. "So just visiting?"

Nono smiled. "Honestly, yes."

He looked to the children then back and noticed something he hadn't before. Under the table, hardly noticeable, Xanxus had Squalo's hand wrapped in his own. Timoteo glanced back and forth between the children and his children. It was dysfunction sure. So odd and just built on chaos and destined to fall but, maybe, somehow, they could pull it off. He leaned back. With his help of course.