Hey people! This book contains short stories of my character Ash that I based off of my kohai. I wrote this book for my adorable little kohai/Vice prez. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! So, if you like my writing, story plot, or if you just like the character Ash. PLEASE post 'happy 15th birthday Ash!'in the reviews please. I think she would like that. Thanxs!

All For Her Smile

"Amber, Amber!" said a four year old Annalisa insistantly as she tugged on the young women's clothes to get her attention. The young women was despite being in Italy at the time, an American. She had fair skin, of average height, with light brown hair that fell between her shoulders and waist, and hazel eyes.

"What is it Annalsia?" asked Amber as she rocked her baby to sleep.

"Tell me a story!" she said excitedly.

"Oh, one second let me put her to sleep in the other room," answered Amber. Annalisa pouted, but waited patiently none the less. Amber had to laugh. Annalisa hated little kids. When she came back she asked, "Okay, what kinda story do you want to hear?"

"Umm..." thought the little girl aloud.

"How about how I became a Vongola hitman," Amber asked with enthusiasm.

"No! I already heard that one a thousand times," complained Annalisa.

"A thousand times? That seems a bit much," said Amber doubtfully. "It all started when I was a little baby-"

"Your mom was a poor person who lived in America. Her husband had died a few years back and she couldn't find a job. she was so poor that she couldn't afford to give you food and a place to live. So, she tried to find you a good home. She ran into the 9th by accident. It turned out that her husband was a friend of the 9th's and helped him out once. The 9th being a good person took you both in, and years later your mom died of natural causes. Thus, you were raised here in Italy and trained at a young age to become a hitman," said Annalisa bored.

"Fine, so maybe a thousand wasn't an exaggeration," said Amber flatly. She sighed. Who knew that a simple trip to visit the family back in Italy would turn into her babysitting Annalisa and Reborn who she had basically raised herself a few years back. Not to mention taking care of her own baby. "Well, Reborn is easy. He is just reading a book quietly in the cornor. And Annalisa is a really sweet and smart little girl. She helps me all the time," thought Amber. She looked down at the cute little girl scrunching her face in concentration as she tried to think of a story.

"Hm... Oh! I got it! Why don't I tell you about my most dangerous, most nerve wracking mission I have ever been on!" said Amber dramatically building up.

"OH! Yeah, Yeah! Tell me that one!" Annalisa said excitedly.

"I have been on tons of missions before," started Amber.

"Yeah! Like that one with my brother!" Excliamed Annalisa happily.

"Yup," said Amber smiling down at the little girl's cheerful face. "We went to Europe-"

"To take care of the bad guys!" finished Annalisa excited that she knew the answer.

"I remember that trip," commented Reborn looking over the book he was reading.

"Yes, yes," said Amber. "Now, be quiet or I won't tell you my story." She warned her. Annalisa gasped and covered her mouth, looking to her brother to do the same. Reborn held his finger up to his mouth in a "Sh" gesture.

"Good," Amber continued looking pleased at their attempts to be quiet. "Now, like I said. I've been on tons of missions. I've been on one to Europe with your brother like you mentioned, Annalisa. (Annalisa smiled and nodded her head here.) I've gone on one to Hawaii to secure the travel of a large sum of money. I've been an escort on countess missions. I even helped secure the boss, Vongola 9th, on his trip to Japan to meet the CEDEF boss or the outside adviser. And of course being a top notch hitman, I've protected my family in battle many times. I have stayed calm in the toughest of situations. Bombs, held at sword point, guns, traps, anything you can name. You know why? (Annalisa shook her head no.) Because I was trained for it."

"It's true that Amber is a top notch hitman. Her fiery and fierce style of fighting earned her the nickname 'Ember' because she destroys all that stands in her way," added Reborn.

"Wow!" said Annalisa wide eyed in awe.

"Stop interrupting me!" Amber said glaring down at Reborn. He shrugged. Amber just shook her head and continued, "But, the time I got the most nervous was something I was never trained for. When I was twenty-three (and no I was and never will be an old lady, reborn. She had caught Reborn whispering to a nodding Annalisa that twenty-three was old. At twenty-eight Amber could hardly be called old.) the 9th sent me on a mission to Japan to spy on and gather information about a certain family. At that time, we were fighting with that particular family so I didn't have back up. They were a really big family and he told me that I could take as much time as I needed, he just wanted me to do it safely and successfully. I moved in to an apartment there in Japan. By then I had been there enough times that I knew the language. The day I moved in, I met my neighbor. His name was Shu. At the time I thought this was unimportant information and I dismissed it easily, but that proved to be my gravest mistake."

"Was he the enemy family boss in disguise?" asked Annalisa. Amber could basically see the wheels in her head turn trying to figure out why that was a mistake.

"No, now stop talking," answered Amber. "Or I really won't tell you my story."

"Sorry," Annalisa said depressed.

Amber rubbed her head to show that all was alright again and continued her story, "As I was saying, I had just moved in and met my neighbor. He was nice. He tried to offer his help in moving me in, but I declined. Not only could I left all the things in the boxes, but I was weary of people and didn't want anyone to find out who I really was. I was undercover after all.

"From there my days of spying started. It included narrow escapes, all night steak outs, and lots of coming home late and sleeping the whole day through. One day I had been careless and had gotten a glaze in my arm. One of the guards had shoot in the tree I was hiding in. It barely missed a vital point, but too my relief, he didn't see me. I quickly made my escape. It was a long trip home. I had been a little faint form hunger before (my diet of convenience store food a few times a day, if I remembered, could use a little work), but now the dizziness of blood loss was mixed in. I stumbled on the way back to my apartment. I blacked out! The last thing I remember was my neighbor. He was asking me something, but I couldn't focus on the words. I woke up later on a couch with a cool cloth on my forehead and my arm treated. I looked around, confused. I didn't know where I was, but I didn't panic. I was trained not too. 'Oh, did you come too?' asked a voice coming from the kitchen.

"I had forgotten about him completely. But when I thought back, I remembered hearing him talk to me as I blacked out. 'Yes,' I said cautiously. I prepared myself in case it was a trap.

'That's good. I was worried about you for a while there,' said Shu coming out from the kitchen with some food. It smelt amazing. My stomach growled. He just laughed and gave me the food, then went back into the kitchen to get his own food. I ate the food gratefully; it was so good. It was the first homemade food I had eaten in awhile. He smiled at me understandingly.

After eating, when we were cleaning the kitchen I asked him curiously, 'you aren't going to ask me how I got this wound or why I fainted?'

'Hm...,' he said thoughtfully. 'No. you haven't offered up the subject, so I guess you don't want to talk about it.'

'But aren't you curious?' I asked him.

'Sure I am, but I don't want to force you,' he answered, then he turned to look at me seriously. 'The only thing I want to say is be careful. I won't comment or judge you about coming home late or in the mornings. I won't mention that you got wounded or fainted. I just want you to take care of yourself.' as he said that he patted me on the head and turned back to his dish washing.

I was shocked, 'How do you-'

'I'm your neighbor, did you think I wouldn't notice?' he asked without even looking up from the dishes.

'Why do you care about me so much? We are basically strangers!' I said.

'Well,' he said casually. 'I guess cuz I love you?' I was stuned. This random person who knows nothing about me or what I do, in fact who I had JUST met, tells me they love me!

'Oh,' he said looking at my obviously shocked face. 'I didn't mean to come on too strong. Forget it.' And he reached out and rubbed my head while saying that.

'Forget it?! Really?! He just confessed to me, then told me to forget it?' I thought to myself in disbelief. "Let me tell you Annalisa I thought the guy was insane at first!" she reminisced. Annalisa nodded in agreement. "What a weird guy," she commented.

We didn't really talk that much for the rest of the time. I think he was trying to give me time to digest what was going on. As I was about to leave, Shu stopped me.

'Let's hang out sometime,' he said smiling.

And despite everything that happened that day, I found myself smiling back and agreeing to met again. My life began to stabilize after that. I went spying less and less as well as spending more and more time with Shu.

One day when we were hanging out I asked him, 'What made you fall for me?'

'What brought this up?' he asked.

'Just curious,' I answered. 'Now, tell me!'

'Let's see. At first I just thought that you were pretty and partied hard cuz you always came home late. Your smile really got to me. Then one day I saw you helping an old lady get across the street. I thought that was nice of you, but it didn't really change my opinion of you. I thought you could just be feeling nice that day. But then I started seeing you help more and more people. Like once I saw you feed a cat you met outside the convenience store. All that was good, but the most affective thing was one day I noticing your smile, and how it light up. And before I knew it I was worried about how late you were gone. I couldn't go to sleep at night until I heard you safe inside your apartment,' he answered. He talked confidently and firmly without a hint of hesitation.

With that kind of straight forward personality, it wasn't long will we started dating. Before I knew it, a year and a half past. The war between the families was over, and I barely took on jobs anymore. One day, when we were just hanging out at his apartment he asked me, 'Something's been bothering me recently.' he said bringing up usual conversation and small talk.

'Yeah? What is it?' I answered.

'Where does one go to purpose?' he asked normally like he was asking were the toilet was.

'Huh?'

'I was just curious,' he said innocently.

'Hm... I guess someplace like Paris or something romantic like that,' I answered thoughtfully.

'What about around here?' he asked.

'I don't know. The park?' I replied.

'The park? Where in the park?' he asked. 'Are there any good places there?'

'Sure,' I said.

'Show me,' he said getting up.

'Really? We are doing this now?' I asked.

'Yeah,' he answered flatly. Eventually he convinced me to go. I showed him the place.

As I was looking around the park pleased with my pick, he said, 'I have something very important to tell you,' he looked nervous, almost like he was guilty. My hitman training came back all at once. Flooding every fiber of my being. I tensed, preparing myself for anything: combat, traps, any sort of danger. Then he got down on one knee and my eyes widened. This was NOT something taught in my training! 'Since you yourself said this was a good place I figured I should do it here. Okay here goes...I ate the last piece of candy.' he looked so relieved after that.

I started to tremble with rage, 'YOU IDIOT! I TOTALLY THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO-' but I caught myself before I could finish with purpose.

'Going to...' he motioned for me to continue.

'Um... Ah...,' I stuttered, blushing.

Then he started to laugh, he was still on one knee. Wiping his eyes he said, 'I'm just kidding.' he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. 'Amber will you marry me?' he asked opening the box to reveal a ring.

'YOU IDIOT!' I said as I hit him.

'Owww!' he winced. 'That hurt!"

'Fine you idiot. I'll marry you," I replied blushing but as I did so, I reached down and rubbed his head.

He just smiled at me and laughed with joy saying, "Hey! isn't that my thing?"

We arranged everything. I asked the boss if I could stop being a hitman. He said yes, but only if I still came to visit him. He was always a big softie. When I had to say goodbye to him we were both crying and hugging. He was like my real dad. So, we had the wedding and years later we had Ash. I can still remember how we named the baby. Shu had been trying really hard to come up with the perfect name for her. He had looked and looked for the right name. I was fine with almost anything, but Shu was very particular. One day he came running and yelling into our apartment. I had just moved in with him in his apartment.

'I've got it! I've got it!' he yelled excitedly.

'Oh yeah? Let's hear it,' I said

'Ash!' he said triumphantly.

'What?' I asked confused.

'Ash! It's perfect. Your nickname is Ember (he found out about my nickname) and our begin initials are in it too! Yours is a and mine are sh! It's perfect!' he exclaimed happily.

'Ash huh?' I said. It had already grown on me. 'I like it. Her name just like us is combined with the two of us.'

"So, that's how we became a family," concluded Amber. "but Shu still doesn't know I was a hitman. Don't tell him okay?"

"Okay!" said Annalisa cheerfully. "Amber at the end you said that a baby was the combination of the two. How are babys born?" she asked tilting her head innocently.

"Oh, um... babies are made when the mommy and daddy really love each other," said Amber blushing.

"Really love each other...," echoed Annalisa thoughtfully. Suddenly she got up and ran to the room Ash was in. Amber hurried after her. By the time she got there, Annalisa had already reached the crib Ash was in. She was peering down at the small child curled up and taking a nap. Amber watched as Annalisa slowly reached down and rubbed the baby's head gently, a habit she picked up from Amber, who picked it up from Shu. This gesture was done whenever he was trying to show affection to someone. "Amber said that babies are made when the mommy and daddy love each other. I don't like kids, but I love Amber and Shu, so I love you."

Amber smiled it warmed her heart to see her two little girls getting along. Just then, the baby smiled in her sleep. This surprised the little girl. "Amber Amber! Look Look! She smiled," said Annalisa pointing excitedly.

"Yeah, I see," smiled Amber. "She is smiling because of her big sister."

"Big sister?"

"Yeah, we as her mom and big sister have to protect her and keep her smiling always. It's a tough job, but well worth it," promised Amber.

"I promise to work hard Amber!" answered Annalisa determined.

"Did you hear that Ash? Looks like you will have a dependable older sister from now on!" thought Amber to her sleeping baby.