I'm sorry that I am only updating now. Well, at least I do update eventually =).

Here's the next chapter and I am so gratefully for every single review I received from you, my dear readers. Thank you!

CHAPTER 6

And the years went by: (still within the first 5 years old Giotto's and Tsuna's departure)

Tsuna 3 years old

Reborn 9 years old

Giotto was getting worried.

It had already been three years since he and his son had left everything behind and started a new life.

Their small family had quickly grown as Reborn had been adopted into the family. They were happy, nothing stood in their way and they could live in peace in quiet. But that was exactly the point that had the blonde man so worried.

Tsuna was still not talking.

He had read many books on how to raise a child and researched everything there was to know about being a good parent...and all of these resources told him that babies usually started to talk around their first two years. But Tsuna was almost three now...and he was still squealing and babbling in his cute baby language.

Every chance that he got, he talked to Tsuna and tried to get him to respond, but so far...nothing helped. Even the stoic Reborn who didn't like to talk much used every minute on speaking with the baby.

''Come on, Tsu-chan. Say P-A-P-A! See, it's really easy!"

They were currently sitting on the white leather couch in the living-room with Giotto resting against the pillows and Tsuna on his lap facing him.

"P-A-P-A!", Giotto repeated again and looked hopefully down at his son.

Tsuna had a concentrated look on his face and a small wrinkle appeared between his eyebrows.

"Da...DA!", the brunette said and clapped his hands again happily. He looked up at his father, but immediately quieted down when he saw his father's defeated look.

He really wanted to please his father and he understood what the other wanted from him, but he simply couldn't form a correct word no matter how hard he tried.

Giotto shook his head and patted his son's fluffy brown hair that had grown so much in these three years and now resembled his own gravity-defying hairstyle.

,,It's alright, son. You'll talk when you're ready, alright? Now, don't look so disappointed, I'm not mad at you."

But Tsuna still wouldn't look into Giotto's eyes, his lips set into a pout.

The blonde man pulled his son into a warm embrace, while resting his head on Tsuna's.

''Shh...I know that you talk in your own way. I can read you like a book by only looking into your eyes, so don't worry, ok? You will be able to say my name, I know it. I guess, you only need some more time, ne? It's alright, son. Everyone has their own pace to learn things."

Giotto tried to sound reassuring and as his son snuggled even closer to him, he knew that Tsuna understood him.

"Still no response?", asked a deep baritone voice suddenly.

Giotto tilted his head a little to the side so he could look the black-haired kid in the eyes.

''No, nothing. And I can feel that it's hurting Tsunayoshi just as much. I know that he wants to talk, there is just something preventing him from doing that."

Reborn sat next to the blonde man with just a small gap separating them. Tsuna had also noticed the newcomer and immediately became restless in Giotto's warm embrace. He struggled and squealed while finally freeing one of his tiny arms and stretched it in Reborn's direction.

Reborn quickly put a hand over his mouth, hiding the small smile that wanted to show at seeing his adopted little brother demanding his attention. Giotto, though, smiled one of his goofy-wide grins and released his strong hold on the three-year-old.

Once Tsuna realized that he was finally free, he immediately jumped onto Reborn's lap and wound his arms as far as they would go around the others waist.

"Re...mmm...bo!", the baby babbled in his chipper voice.

The black-haired boy raised an eyebrow at the child's antics, but he was already used to the cuddly little bundle of joy, that liked to be as close as possible to the people that he trusted. Reborn embraced his little brother in return, pressing his nose into the downy hair. He would never admit it, but Reborn was practically addicted to the others smell. It was a mix of vanilla, sunshine and something unique that he couldn't put his finger on. He savored these little moments and he only allowed Tsuna to get so close to him. Even though he was grateful to Giotto for accepting him as a part of his family, he didn't like physical contact. He would always flinch when being touched for he couldn't put his past aside. He still expected a painful hit with each touch. Well, aside from the little baby, slumbering against his chest right now. Tsuna was really the only one that he didn't feel the need to pull away from.

Reborn locked eyes with Giotto after he made sure that the baby was really fast asleep and couldn't hear them.

''What should we do, Giotto? Maybe...we should take him to a doctor."

Giotto felt his heart beat quicken as the other uttered what he feared. He had also been contemplating whether or not to call in a professional. But...he was afraid of what he would learn. Maybe...maybe something was really wrong with his son.

Giotto sighed and let himself sink even further into the soft cushions, while his eyes were directed at his white ceiling.

''Yeah...maybe you're right. I'll...I'll make an appointment with a doctor tomorrow.", whispered the older man into the silence of the room.

Reborn nodded and slowly stood up, Tsuna carefully cradled into the nook of his arm.

''I'll put him into his bed."

Giotto only waved his hand, dismissing Reborn. He was too deep into his own thoughts and his worry seemed to grow exponentially.

The younger boy left the room quietly without another word and went up the stairs to Tsuna's own bedroom. There, he gently placed his baby brother into his crib and covered him with a light orange blanket. The brunette's hands were flailing some as if searching for something and only became still when Reborn placed his stuffed lion into the babys waiting arms.

Reborn bent downwards and kissed his brother on his forehead while brushing his bangs out of his adorable sleeping face.

''Why won't you talk, Tsuna? What is wrong with you?", whispered the black-haired kid into the silence of the room. Of course, he didn't get an answer, not that he had expected one.

He sighed and left the room, ready to start on dinner, seeing as neither himself nor Giotto had eaten, yet.

Once he came back downstairs, he already found the blonde man absentmindedly washing the salad under the running faucet.

''He's sleeping now", Reborn stated.

Giotto immediately got startled and thus dropped the vegetable on the floor.

''R-Reborn! Don't scare me like that!", Giotto exclaimed while pressing a hand over his heart.

For Reborn the other's antics held a whole different meaning. Giotto wasn't one to be easily startled for he was always attentive and watchful. He must be really concerned for his son, or he wouldn't have acted so totally out of character.

"I have called a specialist and made an appointment for tomorrow afternoon. Do you want to come along?", asked the older man.

Reborn nodded and nothing else was spoken for the moment. After a few seconds of just staring at each other, the both of them eventually started to make their late dinner.

There were silent for the meantime, each of them absorbed into their own thoughts.

They were about to be finished, when suddenly a loud and all too familiar wail snapped them out of their trance. Their eyes immediately grew in size and they ran up the stairs to Tsuna's bedroom.

"Tsu-chan!", screamed Giotto as he threw his son's bedroom door open. At first sight, nothing seemed out of place, but the blonde man still surveyed the room and looked out of the window to make sure that they were safe.

Reborn, on the other hand, immediately ran to his adopted brother's side and had to hold in a gasp.

Tsuna was crying so miserably, with big crocodile tears streaming down the sides of his face. His eyes were tightly shut, as if he was in a lot of pain. The baby had thrown of his blanket and even Natsu was lying discarded at the far end of the crib.

Reborn reached for his brother and as soon as his hand neared the skin of the younger one, he felt a torching heat erupting from him.

He instantly put a hand on Tsuna's forehead and scowled when he realized that his baby had developed an alarming high fever in just about an hour.

"Giotto! Tsuna has a fever!", the stoic kid cried.

Giotto gently pushed the younger one to the side and scooped his son up into his arms and pressed his forehead against the brunette's.

"Shh…papa is here. I know that you feel really hot, we will bring you to a doctor, ok, Tsu-chan? Just hang on for a little while longer.", the blonde man cooed at his son.

Tsuna blinked his big, amber eyes at his father and snuggled closer to him, seeking warmth and comfort.

"Reborn, bring me a cold towel and Tsuna's jacket and shoes! We have to take him to a doctor as soon as possible. A fever this high can be really dangerous for Tsuna! Go!", ordered the older and Reborn immediately complied.

As fast as he could, Reborn came running back with the needed things and helped Giotto dress his baby brother.

Then they left the house in a hurry and all but jumped into the car, with Giotto in the driver's seat and Reborn in the back seat with a sick Tsuna cradled tightly to his body.

While they drove, Reborn muttered words of comfort to the baby and wiped his tears away. Tsuna's breathing was way too fast and his chest was heaving rather quickly. Sweat was pouring down his tiny face and he was so flushed. Reborn felt his heart break at seeing Tsuna in so much pain and he wished that he could suffer in his stead.

They soon arrived and Giotto instantly opened the backseat and took Tsuna from Reborn, who left the car right behind the older man and ran after him into the hospital.

"Help! Someone please help my son!", yelled Giotto in his most authoritative voice.

And thank the heaven's a nurse immediately came running towards them, followed by two doctors who put Tsuna on a stretcher and wheeled him away. Another nurse approached him and asked him a few questions.

"Are you the father of the child? What's his name?"

Giotto tried to follow, totally ignoring the questioning nurse, but he was held back by more nurses that appeared out of thin air.

"Yes, I am Giotto Cielo. And he is my son Tsunayoshi Cielo. Please let me through! I need to be with my son!", Giotto yelled.

He brushed her off and started to follow his son again, when two more male nurses stood in his way.

"Please calm down, sir. We have the best of doctors here who will attend to your son. We will do anything we can, so please wait over there, until one of us calls for you."

Giotto nodded hesitantly and slumped down into his chair with Reborn following suit. Minutes passed and turned into an hour… and Giotto was so agitated that he had to walk up and down to calm his raging nerves.

And then…finally, a man called his name.

''Mr. Cielo?", asked the other.

Giotto stood for him in a flash with fear clearly evident in his blue orbs.

"How is Tsuna? Is he alright? Why did he suddenly get such a high fever!?"

The doctor coughed into his hand and looked the other into his blue eyes.

"You're son is in room 27, just down the hallway and you may visit him as soon as I am done filling you in on your son's condition. We managed to stabilize your son, Mr. Cielo. As to why he was able to spike a fever of this level, I do not know. We checked him all over and made a worrying discovery. His brain waves where all over the place and I do not know which consequences your son will experience because of this immense heat that had burned through his whole body. We will have to wait for him to wake up, so we can assess the amount of damage that had been done to his brain. I'm sorry, sir. I wish I'd have better news for you. "

Giotto's mouth fell open and he felt his eyes getting wet with unshed tears. He brushed passed the doctor and entered the room as fast as he could. There he ran to the bed and sat down on the edge of the white hospital bed that his son was lying on.

Reborn, who had heard everything the doctor had said, felt his heart stop. His little light, his new found brother was gravely ill and right now, not even the doctor was able to tell, if he would be alright again. Reborn followed Giotto into Tsuna's room and had to swallow hard when he saw the baby lying on the bed, so still and silent. He sat down on the other side of the bed and grasped one of Tsuna's tiny hands in his own.

Giotto's tears were now flowing freely from his eyes.

"Please, Tsu-chan. Please wake up, baby. You can't do this to me! I wasn't even able to hear you say my name one time and I won't have you been taken away from me! Please open those beautiful eyes of yours for me, son. I love you so much. You can't…you can't…", but he couldn't speak no more. He was sobbing by now, his whole body shaking with grief and pain.

Reborn's eyes widened when he saw the usually so strong Giotto rendered to this sobbing mess. He looked down at his brother again and stroked his soft, downy hair in comfort.

"Come on, little bro. W-We need you. Look at what you do to your father. Normally you'd cry whenever some else was crying, so come on, wake up. We really need you, Tsuna! I need you!", shouted Reborn.

He was shocked about him losing his composure like that, but he didn't care right now. In his 9 year old mind, it wasn't fair how such a kind and pure child could ever suffer like this.

They sat there for the longest time. Night had fallen by now and countless members of the hospital staff had tried to kick the two of them out, but just one glare from the pale father and the angry kid was enough to leave them alone. They didn't say anything, each of them focusing on every movement of the tiny human lying in the far too big hospital bed.

Giotto was so tired, but he didn't allow himself to sleep. Not while his baby was suffering. He hated this insecurity. His uselessness. Here he was, the strongest ex-mafia-boss, and he was yielding to a sickness that he had no power over.

Reborn fought of sleep as well. He didn't want to miss just one second with his little baby brother that had wormed his way into his cold black heart with just one innocent, loving smile.

The clock in the room seemed so loud and oppressing, but it helped them to stay focused.

And then, suddenly Tsuna began to move. At first, just his tiny fingers twitched, then his legs and finally his whole body. He breathed in deeply, his chest rose with the effort.

"T-Tsu-chan? Come on, son. Open those eyes of yours. Please, Tsuna, please!", the blonde man cried anxiously.

Giotto und Reborn held their breaths, when suddenly Tsuna's eyelids started to move restlessly.

And then, they opened. At first, they were glazed over with trances of the fever left, but they finally focused on Giotto.

And he smiled.

Giotto broke into tears again and pulled his son as tightly as he could without hurting him into a warm embrace. He felt Reborn pat Tsuna's back and just included the black-haired kid into their warm family hug.

" I-I was so worried, Tsu-chan! How could you do something like this to your papa! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!", Giotto cried and pressed his nose into Tsuna's hair.

Reborn sweat dropped at Giotto's antics and he would normally have kicked the older man in his shin for such a weakling behavior, but for tonight, he decided, he would let it slide.

Soon, Giotto pushed the two younger kids a little away from him and smiled down at his son.

"How are you feeling, son?", he asked him.

"Mhmm…m'fine, papa!", Tsuna replied in a hoarse, but sweet voice.

THUD

Giotto had fallen from the edge of the bed and was now laying on the floor, while gaping at his smiling son.

"W-What?", the blonde man stuttered.

"I say, I fine, papa!" Tsuna said again and started to giggle at the funny expression on his father's face.

Reborn picked his ear and had an equally astonished look on his face.

He..he talked! Their baby finally TALKED!

Giotto immediately stood up and lifted his son into his arms again.

"You make me so happy, Tsu-chan! So happy, thank you! I love you so much!", Giotto exclaimed and felt his heart swell with love.

"Tsu-chan love you, too, papa. And Reborn!"

Their laughter filled the whole hospital, but no one interrupted them.

Their family was finally happy again, everything was finally alright again…

...Or was it?

Wohooooooo...next chapter done! Please tell me what you think. It motivates me to read your impressions on a chapter! :D