"We must let go of the life we have planned, so as to accept the one that is waiting for us." – Joseph Campbell

Unsurprisingly, his mother was the first one to arrive at the hospital.

Tsuna had restrained Bianchi twice to keep her from barging inside the operating room and making things worse. Now she sat beside him with slumped shoulders and her head bowed. He would've pitied her a little more if she hadn't done something so dumb in the first place.

They hadn't talked since Hayato was rolled into the operating room. Apparently the infection was bad enough that the surgeon had to do a procedure. Tsuna rubbed his neck tenderly and winced. It was definitely bruised.

Bianchi was just a kid, he tried to reason. A terrified kid who hated the police and was probably involved in some really shady shit.

He stiffened when he remembered the criminals' melted corpses, the white of their bones protruding through their raw, burnt skin. Fuck, he was pretty sure he saw their intestines, too. Their screams then rebounded in his ears—they sounded so goddamn close he shuddered.

Why was it so hard to breathe? His lungs—there was no air. His hands became clammy and his heart raced against his chest, beating hard and fast. Too fast. Shit, he was dying.

"—kun? Tsu-kun? Breathe with me! There, there. You're doing good, Tsu-kun. Shh."

It took Tsuna a while to regain his bearings and realize that his mother held him close, cradling his head in her arms. He sucked in a deep breath, inhaling her comforting scent, and exhaled slowly before feeling less dizzy.

Tsuna barely reacted when Nana handed him a cup of water and his medication.

"Tsu-kun," Nana said, "I think you should take them. This is the third time already…"

"'kay," he said, his voice hoarse.

He ignored Bianchi's wide-eyed stare as he downed the pills and water. His mouth felt awfully dry and the cool liquid managed to assuage the scratchiness in his throat. Temporary—it was all temporary but he'd take it over anything.

Nana rubbed his back. "There, feeling better? Would you like some more water?"

Tsuna shook his head, slightly wincing at the pain in his neck. "I'm fine."

Nana immediately tilted his chin up and widened her eyes. "Tsu-kun, what happened to your neck?"

Her voice was too loud. Sighing, Tsuna rubbed his face. "Well, funny story. I kind of got…caught by the criminals on my way home. Not my best moment. And I lost the groceries."

Nana frowned. "Tsu-kun, I don't care about the groceries. Your neck—"

"It's okay! The police are handling it now. It's fine."

"Why aren't you being treated?"

"Um, well, I guess I kind of forgot." Tsuna glanced at Bianchi who regarded them with wary eyes. "Kaa-san, this is Bianchi. She's the one who…saved me."

Nana gave him a quick look that said, "you better tell me everything later, young man", before smiling at Bianchi. "Thank you for saving my son. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to him."

Tsuna stifled a laugh when Bianchi fumbled with her words.

"N—No, there's no need to thank me," she said. "I—He saved my brother." Her brows creased a little. "I'm…grateful for that."

Surprisingly, she sounded sincerer if her small grimace was any indication. Tsuna smiled slightly.

"He'll be fine," he said. "Don't worry. Just don't go running off like last time."

Nana raised a brow. "So, you're the young lady that got my son all worked up this morning."

Bianchi could only gape while Nana gave her a long lecture on responsibility, family, and just about everything that Tsuna thought of her spiel the other night. Still, his mother could get really wordy and he was sure the whole thing was traumatic for both of them. Tsuna tugged Nana's cardigan.

"Kaa-san, I told her the same thing," he said. "Take it easy on her, okay? Her brother's in surgery."

"Oh, my goodness!" Nana looked at Bianchi sympathetically. "I'm so sorry, dear. I didn't know. Tsu-kun, please tell me, what exactly happened?"

Kusakabe then picked the best time to intervene.

"Tsunayoshi-san," he said, nodding in greeting. Mochida trailed behind him, looking bored as usual. "Sawada-san."

Tsuna suppressed a sigh of relief. Not that he didn't want to tell his mother what happened—there were no secrets between them, not like his father anyways. She'd probably revive the criminals somehow to kill them herself, which was a disturbing thought, but hell hath no fury like a Nana scorned. Plus, she'd probably keep him locked up in the house until he died.

Standing, Tsuna greeted the detectives with a small nod. "Kusakabe-san, Mochida-san. Thank you for coming."

Kusakabe's eyes flickered to his neck. "Are you alright?"

Tsuna smiled. "Well, I'm alive and still functioning, so that's good, right?" He gestured at Bianchi who, thankfully, didn't run away but looked like she wanted to. "This is Bianchi. She—"

"Where's your brother?" Mochida said.

Bianchi narrowed her eyes into dangerous slits. "You—"

"He's in surgery," Tsuna said quickly, sending her a warning look. "He's in pretty bad shape."

Mochida raised a brow but didn't say anything.

"We'll need to take this to the station, Tsunayoshi-san," Kusakabe said. "It'll be more secure there."

"What happened to the men, Kusakabe-san?" Nana said quietly.

"Everything's alright, Sawada-san. We just need Tsunayoshi and Bianchi to tell us what happened."

Nana pursed her lips. "How do I know if it will be safe? My son was just attacked by those criminals. Look at his neck!"

"I understand your frustrations, but please trust us. There is no threat to Tsunayoshi's life. We assure you that everything's been taken care of."

"Kaa-san," Tsuna said, "it's okay. He's right."

Nana furrowed her brows. "Tsu-kun…" She then sighed, appearing much older than she seemed. Tsuna reached out to hug her and smiled when she relaxed in his arms. "Come back as soon as you're done."

"Roger that."

She glared at the detective, making them tense. "My son and Bianchi better be taken care of."

"Wouldn't have it any other way, Sawada-san," Mochida said.

The police station was still as hectic as ever as the media continued to hound them for information.

The detectives led the two through the underground parking lot again. Bianchi didn't say a single word throughout the whole ride there. Tsuna gave up trying to reassure her that everything would be okay. All she did was glare at him.

When they were ushered inside the building, Tsuna was grateful he took his medication though his mind was just a tad sluggish. If only perfect medication existed. Passing the main floor, Tsuna perked up when he heard some bits of conversation from the detectives talking on the phone.

"—another one? Don't—"

"Ma'am, please calm down and—"

"—missing some organs again—"

"—fifth time this—"

He couldn't hear much else since Kusakabe and Mochida forced them to keep up. His mind reeled though as he tried to decipher what he heard. Missing organs? Fifth time? Why didn't he hear about this? He mentally rolled his eyes. Of course—the Namimori Police Department rarely gave any information to the public and it was nearly impossible to get any of the detectives and officers to talk since they were so loyal to Masato. Namimori trusted them too much. It was going to bite them in the ass later. Tsuna was sure of that.

The elevator finally stopped, jolting Tsuna out of his thoughts. It opened, revealing an empty, long hallway.

"We have to separate you," Kusakabe said.

Bianchi's face was a blank slate, making Tsuna shiver. She looked more like the killer she was before than a normal teenage girl. He couldn't help but wonder what made her this way.

"We're going this way," Mochida said, grabbing Bianchi's arm.

She immediately jerked away from his grip. "Don't touch me!"

"Calm down or I'll cuff you."

"Shigeru," Kusakabe said, "I'll take her."

"You won't take me anywhere!" Bianchi said.

"Kusakabe-san," Tsuna said, stepping forward, "let me talk to her. It won't take long."

Kusakabe hesitated before nodding. "We won't be too far then."

"Thank you."

After the detectives left, Tsuna sighed. The silence was almost deafening if not for the media's distant chatter outside. Bianchi glared at him, but her hands were trembling.

"Bianchi, look, I know this is hard for you, but you have to cooperate. Things will get worse if you don't."

"You don't understand anything!" she said. "Don't act like you do!"

Tsuna narrowed his eyes. "Yeah, I don't understand. I don't know what kind of mess you're in or why any of this is happening. I really don't, but what I do get is that you're terrified." Taking in a deep breath, he lowered his voice. "Bianchi, I'm probably your best bet getting out of here unharmed and not in cuffs for real. Do you really want that? Think. I know you're a smart kid. What will Hayato do if you end up in jail?"

Bianchi stiffened. She swallowed, her eyes losing their heat. "Hayato… He needs me."

"I know. So think about it. You're going to have to cooperate or you'll never see him again."

Bianchi scowled. "I won't go to prison."

"You will if you fuck this up again. Listen to yourself. You think you can get away with what you did, but you're wrong. Everything's different here. You have to follow our rules. If you don't want to see Hayato again, then go ahead—stay quiet, scratch their eyes out, I don't care. There's nothing I can do for you if you're unwilling to cooperate."

Bianchi flinched. She averted her gaze to the floor, her arms falling down to her sides. "I—We… There's no one here for us." She slid to the ground and covered her pale face with her hands. "I—I don't know what to do. I fucked up again—every time. Hayato… Oh, God."

Tsuna crouched down to her level. "Bianchi, I'm here to help you. You're not alone in this. You just have to trust me."

Bianchi looked at him wearily; the bags underneath her eyes were much more prominent up-close and the world seemed to weigh more heavily on her thin shoulders. She looked so much like a child that it made Tsuna's heart ache.

Her voice was quiet when she spoke. "Why are you helping me?"

"I don't know. I mean, you did save my life back there. That has to count for something, right? A life for a life if that's how you want to look at it." Tsuna smiled. "Honestly, it's probably my heart of gold making me ride the waves. How could I leave a pretty young lady like you all alone to a pack of wolves?"

Blushing, Bianchi looked away with a huff. "I can protect myself."

Tsuna grimaced. "Yeah, but you don't have to do it alone this time. You're probably tired of doing everything on your own. I can tell you care about Hayato. There's no one else who'd do the same for you, right? I can help you, Bianchi. You just have to trust me."

"How do I know you won't…"

Her voice drifted off, leaving the question hanging in the air. Tsuna understood—it was like looking at a mirror of his younger self. He had eventually learned that it was okay to ask for help. There was no shame in shouldering the burdens with someone else. It was just a matter of if anyone was willing to help at all. Right now, Bianchi had no one.

"I saved your brother twice. Besides, you came to me, right? I think you know that you can trust me, even if you don't want to admit it. Who wouldn't trust me? I'm the most honest guy around here."

Bianchi snorted. "And yet you bring me to the police."

There was less heat in her words, which Tsuna took as a good sign. "Hey, it's better to get this done and over with now than later when everything goes to shit. And this is a pretty shitty situation." Tsuna huffed. "If only you listened to me in the first place, we probably wouldn't be here."

Bianchi rolled her eyes, but her lips slightly twitched. "Yes, Mother. I understand."

"Hey, hey, hey, I take offense to that."

"I promise to be good now, Mother. Don't worry."

"I'd strangle you but then I'd get arrested."

A playful gleam twinkled in Bianchi's eyes. "I thought you'd want to accompany your dear sweet child in prison."

Tsuna narrowed his eyes. "Oh, so you do want to go to prison now, huh?"

Bianchi tensed, and just like that, her walls assembled again. "No."

Tsuna sighed before ruffling her hair. He ignored her indignant squawk and stood up, flexing his numb legs. "Thought so. Just tell them everything they need, okay? Honestly, that's all you can do now. It'll be easier that way. I'll vouch for you since you technically saved my life anyways. I don't know how much it'll help but the fact that I'm not dead should be good, right?"

Bianchi looked away, hunching even more. A small tremor ran through her body and Tsuna suddenly wondered if she was cold underneath her hoodie. "There are…some things I can't say."

Tsuna quirked a brow. "What do you mean? Does it have to do with your family?"

"Tsunayoshi-san."

Both of them tensed when Kusakabe and Mochida walked towards them. Kusakabe had the decency to look apologetic.

"I apologize but we have to talk now," he said. "Time is of the essence."

Tsuna nodded. "Yeah, sorry about that."

He reached out to Bianchi. Surprisingly, she took his hand and hoisted herself up quickly. The cold mask had already returned to her face.

"Follow me, miss," Kusakabe said.

Bianchi glanced at Tsuna who gave her a quick smile.

"It's going to be okay," he said. "Trust me."

"Okay…"

It was said so quietly that Tsuna thought he missed it when Bianchi was led into a room by Kusakabe. Still, he managed to hear it and it made him feel a bit more at ease.

"Our room's this way," Mochida said, gesturing at the opposite direction.

Squaring his shoulders, Tsuna followed him inside and braced himself.

"So, Bianchi came and melted the men with shortcakes," Mochida said, leaning back in his chair.

"I know it sounds ridiculous but—"

"No, keep going."

Tsuna blinked. "Wait, this isn't…weird or anything to you? I said shortcakes—worm-infested shortcakes—not a gallon of acid or something."

Mochida shrugged. "I've seen weirder. So, what happened after?"

Tsuna stared at him. Mochida was a bit too…lax for Tsuna's taste but her could tell he wasn't lying, which was a little alarming in itself. Like, hello? Worm-infested, purple shortcakes melting people to the fucking bone? Wasn't that in the "definitely strange" category? Mocihda didn't even flinch at anything Tsuna told him. If this was normal to him, then Tsuna didn't want to know what crazy was.

"I'm starting to question everything I know again," Tsuna said dryly.

Mochida chuckled. "Join the club. So, what happened?"

Tsuna sighed. "She asked me for help and led me to her brother, who wasn't in the best condition. His stitches were infected and he had a bad fever. I called for the ambulance and Kusakabe-san after that. Oh, and my mom, but you already know that."

"Where were they?"

"An abandoned apartment in Kokuyo."

"Do you remember the address?"

"Yes."

Mochida tossed his small notepad across the table. "Write it down."

After Tsuna wrote it down, he couldn't help but ask, "Will she be in trouble?"

Mochida skimmed the address before pocketing the notepad in his breast pocket. "Depends."

Tsuna pursed his lips. "Depends on what? Bianchi saved my life."

"She also killed two men. Murder is still murder." Mochida rolled his toothpick to the other side of his mouth. "I'm sure you know that."

"I do, but she and Hayato are most likely caught up in something bad. I don't know what, but I have a bad feeling about it. Is there any way you can tell me what's going on?"

"That's for them to tell you or not. It's not in our place to give you any information. We got it all covered. There's nothing to worry about." Mochida stood up. "Thanks for the info. We appreciate it."

Tsuna blinked. "That's it?"

"That's it."

"Then what'll happen to Bianchi and Hayato?"

"You don't have to worry about them."

"Will Bianchi be arrested?"

Mochida shrugged, which irked Tsuna to no end. Damn it, there were just too many questions that bugged him to leave this alone.

"Depends."

"Depends on what?"

"It depends on Hibari-sama. Come on. I promised your mother you'd get back to her in one piece, right?"

Tsuna reluctantly followed him outside, his thoughts jumbled in his head. Shit, he forgot how the medication could inhibit his mental capacity sometimes. He ran a hand through his hair when a flash of black caught the corner of his eye.

He froze when Kusakabe led Bianchi out of their room in handcuffs. Her eyes widened when she saw him, her face too pale.

"What—"

Icy dread coiled in Tsuna's stomach when Masato walked out behind them. The man's face was an impeccable blank mask that unnerved Tsuna more than it should. When Masato nodded imperceptibly towards Kusakabe, the other led Bianchi away.

"Wait!" Tsuna said, noticing Bianchi jerk back to look at him.

There was a flash of hope in her eyes that vanished quickly when Kusakabe tugged her away gently.

Mochida gripped Tsuna's shoulder. "It's best not to get involved, Sawada. Come on, I'll drive you back to the hospital."

"Where are you taking her?" Tsuna said, ignoring him. "What's her sentence?"

"Shigeru, I expect them by early evening," Masato said promptly, not even looking at him.

"Of course, Masato-sama."

Tsuna licked his chapped lips nervously as Bianchi and Kusakabe turned the corner. Kami, whatever they told Bianchi, it looked like worse than imprisonment. Shit, if he actually knew what was going on, maybe he could do something; however, he held no cards. He shrugged off Mochida's grip and stepped in front of Masato before the Commissioner could leave.

"Hibari-san," he said, "may I speak with you?"

Masato studied him for a few seconds before brushing past him. "No."

The words came out before Tsuna had a chance to think. "I know you hit your son."

"Oi, Sawada," Mochida said.

Masato paused in his step. "And what will you do with that information?"

He asked it with such genuine curiosity that Tsuna couldn't help but gape. He had to remind himself that Masato was not a conventional man to begin with and that not all parents were exactly saints, but he just couldn't wrap his head around it.

"I just want to talk to you for only few minutes, Hibari-san. Nothing else."

The silence that hung between them was deafening until Masato said, "Ten minutes."

He glanced at Mochida, who immediately opened the door to Bianchi's previous room. When the door clicked shut behind him, Tsuna wondered what the hell he was getting himself into.

Masato wasted no time in making himself comfortable at the table, his body lax and legs crossed. His eyes were still an impenetrable wall of steel and left nothing for Tsuna to grapple with, which only stressed him out even more. Interrogation had been one of his more interesting courses back at university, and though it was mentally taxing to pick out every micro expression or flaw from the other person, it was still a great thrill.

Now he was pretty sure Masato was nothing but a tall, looming wall.

Wonderful.

"What will happen to Bianchi?" Tsuna said, not even bothering to sit down.

Masato didn't flinch at the impolite tone, tilting his head slightly. "She will face twenty years in prison."

Tsuna narrowed his eyes. "She's a minor."

"Murder, trespassing, forgery—There are countless other offenses she committed. I won't trouble you with the details."

Tsuna pursed his lips. Something wasn't right. Masato was lying. Why?

"I know that she killed those men but it was out of self-defense—they were going to kill me."

Masato didn't break eye-contact. "You're smarter than that, Tsunayoshi-kun. Please do not relegate yourself even further with such foolish reasoning."

Tsuna clenched his jaw. "Relegate myself?" He restrained a sigh. They were getting off-topic. "This isn't about me, this is about Bianchi."

"I'm not obligated to tell you what we will do," Masato said. "Your role in this case is only minor. There is no use for you anymore."

"I just want to make sure that she won't be manipulated in whatever game you're playing at here."

Masato raised a brow. "You think I'm playing a game?"

"There are a lot of things going on I don't understand, Hibari-san. And I know that it's rude to pry, but Bianchi saved my life and I promised that I'd help her. I get that it's not my place to question your ideologies; however, Bianchi trusts me and I…I'd be a terrible person if I break that trust."

Masato's lips slightly twitched when he leaned his chin on a gloved hand. "You are a much more honorable man than your father, but all the more foolish."

Tsuna narrowed his eyes. "What's your relationship with my father?"

"I see no point in continuing this conversation."

Masato stood up.

"Wait!" Tsuna pointed at the clock. "We still have six minutes left!"

"And what else are you going to say, Tsunayoshi-kun? Again, I see no point in this conversation if you're only going to tell me about promises that shouldn't have been made in the first place." Masato strode forward, making Tsuna step back. "Things would be much different if you were like your father."

Tsuna gritted his teeth. "I'm sorry to disappoint but I'm not my father, Hibari-san, nor do I wish to be. Also, he's completely irrelevant. I don't understand why you keep bringing him up."

"I suppose so," Masato said, his gaze unwavering. "However, I beg to differ. If you were anything like him, you would have the power to help the children." He levelled Tsuna's gaze. "I will remind you that you're disposable, Tsunayoshi-kun. You have no worth or value in this playing field. I suggest that you don't get yourself involved any further than you should."

Tsuna's hands clenched into fists. Disposable? Playing field? No worth? Was this bastard telling him to kindly fuck off? What was he, some kind of pawn? Hell no. He refused to be treated this way.

Tsuna was already in deep—he knew that the moment he was targeted by those criminals and survived—but he would hate himself if he couldn't do anything for Bianchi or Hayato. They were only kids and he'd never turn his back on anyone who asked for his help.

Bianchi trusted him—she willingly gave him her trust—and if Tsuna was going to break that because some pitiful excuse of a human being told him to back off, he'd jump off a cliff. If he wanted anything out of Masato, he'd have to play along in his game.

"What if I make myself indispensable?" he said slowly, internally grimacing at the word.

"Hm?"

"You know more than I do. Don't you think that it's unfair that you have all the cards and I don't?"

Masato's lips curled into a slight smile. "I never said I played fair, Tsunayoshi-kun."

"I know I can be of value to you, Hibari-san."

"And how will a college dropout benefit us in any way? I am more than aware of your circumstances, Tsunayoshi-kun. You were a bright student, but that doesn't mean anything to me. You were snipped at the bud too early and I'm not interested in cultivating a useless stem."

Tsuna's hand twitched. He wanted to strangle someone, preferably the man in front of him. "While I'm flattered that you know so much about me, that doesn't mean you actually know me, Hibari-san. I'm going out on a limb here, but you look like you're having some other trouble. There's something else going on in Namimori, isn't there?"

"I don't have the slightest idea as to w—"

"Bodies with missing organs?" Tsuna almost smirked when Masato's brows slightly furrowed. He seemed more annoyed that Tsuna interrupted him than at the information he brought up. "Are they somehow connected to the criminals that tried to kill me?"

That was a big leap of reasoning, even for him. He had no clue if they were connected at all, but he was a little desperate at this point. Even if they weren't, he caught the man's attention, which was enough.

"I advise that you watch what you say, Tsunayoshi-kun," Masato said.

"You didn't confirm nor deny my claim, Hibari-san."

"That's because there is nothing to confirm or deny. You're trekking in murky waters and I suggest you stop before you go any deeper."

Tsuna narrowed his eyes. "I won't. You know I won't. I'm already in knees-deep."

"You're giving a lot more than you should over some children you just met."

"Bianchi trusts me with her life and her brother's. That's enough for me. You were also lying when you said Bianchi was going to get twenty years. What are you planning to do to her?"

Masato smiled and it wasn't friendly. There was an almost predatory look in his eyes that unsettled Tsuna. He stepped back again. Maybe he shouldn't have messed with a predator.

"You're much smarter than I gave you credit for, Tsunayoshi-kun."

Tsuna blinked. Did Masato just admit that he lied?

"I suppose you're the better alternative to your father." Masato loomed over him, his taller height intimidating. The man's eyes were more gray up-close. "If you have the chance to prove your worth, I may have an offer for you. However, it's up to you whether or not you'll take it."

Masato was good at telling everything and nothing at the same time. Tsuna was already having a headache from all these mental hoops he was jumping through.

"What are you talking about, Hibari-san?"

"It's true that I'm not imprisoning Bianchi. There's something else I have in mind. Tell me, Tsunayoshi-kun, do you know anything about your father's line of work?"

Tsuna furrowed his brows. "My father's line of work? My mother told me he worked construction overseas or something, but I never believed it. I just assumed he left us."

"Ah, yes. Your father has quite a primitive way of thinking." Masato walked back to the table and sat down, surprisingly. "I believe you'll have to sit down for this one."

"I thought you were a busy man."

"So, you don't want to know how to be valuable to us?"

Tsuna's brow twitched. Restraining a sigh, he plopped down on the chair across from Masato. He crossed his arms over his chest; his heart picked up speed when he took a deep breath.

"What does my father have to do with this again?"

"I will be frank with you, Tsunayoshi-kun. This may not have been the best way to learn about it, but since you insist so much on helping Bianchi, there's no other way."

"Just tell me, Hibari-san."

"Your father is Sawada Iemitsu, the head of CEDEF, which makes him the second-in-command to Nono of the Vongola famiglia. In short, your father is in the mafia."

Little Fun Facts

1) According to research, if someone makes a head movement when you ask them a direct question, it's a sign that they may be lying to you. Hence Tsuna being a little suspicious when Masato tilted his head slightly when he asked him about Bianchi's punishment.

2) Another sign of lying is when the other person is staring at you without blinking much in an attempt to intimidate and control you.

3) When Bianchi mentioned that she cannot tell the police everything, she is referring to Omerta, the "Vow of Silence". But of course, Tsuna has no clue about that or much of anything, haha.

A/N Ahhh. I apologize that this took so long to update! Thank you so much for your patience! Other than that, finals are finally over, yay!

I actually rewrote this chapter four times because of Masato—what a difficult man to write. Hopefully he came out alright. He's a huge factor in the Kyoya angst later though, just saying, hehe. And yeah, I do admit that Tsuna was a little too OOC in the last chapter… That was my bad, haha.

Oh dear, so many questions, not a lot of answers. Bombshells after another and Tsuna is still out of the loop, haha. After this chapter though, I have a better idea of how involved he'll be later in the future. Any guesses to that and what Masato has in store for Bianchi? Ohohoho.

Thank you so much for reading and for all of your reviews, peeps! Leave a thought or two if you can! I'll try to answer any question as soon as possible.

I hope to see you again in the next chapter!

Have a lovely day~

Little Miss Bunny

Revised: 4/15/2018