A/N First I am so so so sorry it took me so long to update. I have no excuse.

So, the greatest thing happened to me yesterday. I was rereading my previous chapters, trying to figure out what the heck to write, stupid writers block, and I saw a new review from kimmyluvschu!And then I finally realized how to write what I wanted to sat, so I sat down and wrote for three hours. Then I edited it this morning. So thanks to kimmyluvschu for reinspiring me!

Also, I have been forgetting everyoines ages, sdo here they are.

Suzumi and Satoshi: 16

Mariko: 14

Kumiko: 7

Reizo: 15

Rewnzo: 21

Note : The Vongola attack happened six years ago.

I still don't own KHR!

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Still no.

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Nope.

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No such luck..

Just read the freakin' story already!

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Chapter 7: Memories

It's Reizo.

But Reizo is dead.

The searing pain spreads..

And his scent, which I thought was the same is different.

Sour, and bitter, almost like...

Ash.

I only smelled it once. When Satoshi had been training too hard. His ash built up, and he almost passed out. I could smell it while Mari and I dragged him to the hospital.

But this scent is much stronger.

And it could only be caused by a massive buildup of Ash.

Reizo has become a cinereo si [1]

"So, you noticed?" Rei asks me. "It's true! But I learned how to control it, Suzu!

My eyes widen. Control, the ash? "What do you mean, Reizo? No one can control the ash..." I stop, dark grey flames have burst from his ring. His flame was always a dark grey, but it seems darker.

No, it feels darker. There's a malice to that flame that had never been there before.

The pain gets worse. I grunt. That's right, Reizo was the Body Flame. He could use his flame to take control of another persons nervous system, but he would never cause pain."Reizo, what are you doing?"

He smiled. "Don't worry Suzu, you always took care of me. So now I'll take care of you!"

What? "What do you mean!?"

He turned suddenly somber. "I'm going to punish everyone that made you sad. The Vongola, and the Ricerca. Everyone."

Why?

"And Renzo will help me." He smiled, but it was not the kind smile I remembered. The smile that reached his eyes, and made everything seem okay. This one was full of hate and filled me with fear.

"You would destroy your own family?!" I ask, shocked.

"They're not my family. You, and Ren are my family."

Renzo and I... "What about Mariko, and Kumiko, and Satoshi?"

He frowned. "I don't care about them. They can die with the Vongola, and the rest of the ricerca enough of that," he turned happy again. "You should come back with me, I'll keep you safe! So don't worry about a thing." The pain gets worse, and my legs go numb. I fall over, and feel the numbness creeping up my torso. Then I feel someone picking me up and...

"What are you doing here after school hours, Herbivore?"

Renzo, who had been holding me, whipped out a gun, dropping me onto the cement in the process, and trained it on Hibari. Before I could warn him, Ren fired.

Faster than humanly possible, Hibari brought his tonfa up to block the bullet, before charging at Ren.

I try to roll away, but my legs are still numb. So I try to crawl, but my arms are also still numb, and then I, faintly, feel warm arms scoop me up.

"Why are you on the ground, Suzu-chan?" It's Yamamoto.

"Re-he paralyzed me, I can't move." Yamamoto looks surprised

"Umpff." Renzo actually hit Hibari, using the heavy barrel of his gun. Hibari flies backwards a few feet before regaining his balance. Renzo takes that chance to grab Reizo, and run to the black car at the curb.

"I'll be back for you Suzu-chan!" Reizo called.

"Herbivores, what are you doing here? Hibari asks.

"He asked me to meet him here..." I still can't move, residual effects of the flame, but the pain is gone.

"Humph. I'll deal with you herbivores tomorrow." With that Hibari stalked off.

Yamamoto is still holdin me. I never realized it, but he's really strong. I shouldn't be surprised, he does play baseball. "Ah! My phone, could you get it from my pocket?" I have to tell everyone about this.

"Sure." Yamamoto replies

"It's in the...back pocket...of my...jeans." I start blushing. "Actually, never mind. I think I can stand now." Yamamoto sets me down, I see he's also blushing.

I reach around and grab my phone, my movements slow and clumsy. Then I call Satoshi. "Satoshi, I'm at the school... I know, it doesn't matter! I'll be back soon. And I really need to talk to you... Okay."

I hung up. "Everything okay, Suzu-chan?" Yamamoto asks me.

"Yeah..."

"Those boys, did you know them?" Is it just me or does Yamamoto sound, jealous? No, couldn't be...

"Yeah."

"Do you want me to walk you home?"

I'm about to say no, but... I'm shaken up, and I still feel slightly drugged. It might be a good idea to accept his offer. "Yeah, that would be good."

We walk in silence, it's dark and quiet. Most people are asleep. Suddenly I remember the question I had. "Yamamoto-san, what were you doing up?"

He looked sheepish. "To tell you the truth, I couldn't sleep."

"Oh I see."

"The baseball tournament is coming up, and there's a lot of great players."

"Could it be? You're nervous!" I say.

He laughs. "I guess."

"Don't be." I say. He looks at me in surprise. "I'm sure you'll do great. Plus you'll have Tsuna and everyone else cheering you on!" I smile.

"Everyone?"

"Yup."

"Even you?"

The question takes me off guard. Why would he care if I was there. "I guess so."

"Great!" He starts humming happily.

He's really cheerful, and carefree. He laughs, but it's not a forced laugh, like mine. He's in the Mafia too, but he's so different from me. "Yamamoto-san?"

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Thanks. For walking me home. And for everything else." I smile a little.

He blushes a little. "It's no problem."

We slip into a comfortable silence. For once I don't feel on high alert. This boy, he's relaxing. His cheerful carefree nature is contagious. Tsuna is lucky to have him as a guardian.

When we finally reach my house, I tell him to call me If he runs into any trouble. He just smiles and says sure. Then I go inside, and prepare to tell my family that our dead boss is alive, and trying to kill them.

"What happened?" Satoshi demands as soon as I enter. Mariko is standing at attention, and Kumiko is rubbing her eyes. Gokudera had volunteered to guard Tsuna, so we could get some sleep. Fat lot of good it did us.

"Reizo isn't dead. And... He overused his flame. He's been consumed by his ash."

They all look shocked.

"He also is the one behind the plan to assassinate Vongola." I stop, should I tell them?

.

.

.

I can't, the betrayal on their faces is too much. I can't tell them Reizo wants them dead.

"I want round the clock watches on Decimo. Starting tomorrow, I don't think they'll act tonight, they already revealed enough. So get some sleep, I'll talk to everyone tomorrow." Everyone nods, and heads to bed quietly.

I toss and turn. Unable to sleep, memories which I had forced back for so many years make their way to the surface.

That day.

That day when the Vongola attacked, when Reizo 'died.'

When our lives changed forever.

I've tried so hard to forget.

But Reizo's return has brought them bubbling back to my mind.

Flashback.

"It's a beautiful day!" I said.

Reizo laughed. "Yeah! It is!" We were walking together. "Wanna race to The lake?" He asked.

"We shouldn't. You'll trip and fall, and I'll be scolded." I replied.

The boy pouted. "Suzu..." [2] He pouted.

"No."

"Well I'm going to run anyways, I might trip and fall, so you should come with me!" With that he took off.

"Reizo!" I ran after him, smiling. As his guardian I couldn't let anything happen to him. Besides, I didn't want anything to happen to him.

I could see him ahead of me, tearing down the dirt path to the edge of the lake. He disappeared behind a small hill. Everything was fine. Until I heard a screech. "Reizo!" I sped up, to see two men and a girl. One of the men is holding Reizo by the collar of his shirt.

"Suzu-!

One of the guys clamped a hand over Reizo's mouth. "So this is the next boss? He's pretty scrawny."

"Don't insult Reizo!" I said. Fury and terror clouding my judgment, I charged at the group. I slid out a dagger as I ran, but the woman blocked me. She grabbed my hair and forced my chin up. Her eyes were dark blue.

"Oh, the brats got some spunk." She sneered. "Listen up girly, you're outgunned here. Give up." I spit in her face. "Oho, disrespectful little bitch, aren't you?"

Reizo's eyes widened as the woman took out a gun, and placed it at my temple. "Did no one teach you to mind your elders?" She smiles wickidly.

I feel my heart pounding. I can't die here. Not now, not like this. I tried to struggle, but her grip on me was too tight. If I die, Reizio will, they will...

She was getting ready to pull the trigger, and put a bullet in my skull.

Then, a shot rang out.

I looked up as a bullet flew by me, hitting the woman in the chest. Two more shots were fired, killing the two men. Reizo immediately rushed to me.

"Suzu, are you okay?"

I stood, and nodded. My heart was pounding.

"Reizo, Suzumi, you are to be brought back to the main house." Said the woman who saved us. "We are under attack."

One hour later.

Kumiko is crying. She won't be quiet. Her parents would be able to get her to sleep, but they're not here. They're outside, with everyone else fighting the Vongola.

Mariko looks terrified. She's clutching my shirt and whimpering. But she's trying not to cry. I know she's worried for her older brother.

Even though Satoshi doesn't show it, I can tell he's worried. He keeps glancing from Reizo, to Mariko, to Kumiko.

And Reizo, Reizo doesn't look worried. He's rocking Kumiko and singing softly in Italian. I recognize the lyrics.

"Ninna nanna ninnaò questo amore a chi lo do

Lo do a te finché vivrò solo te io amerò

Ninna nanna ninnaò questo amore a chi lo do

Lo do a te finché vivrò e a nessun altro lo darò." [3]

After he finishes, Kumiko quiets down. But the air is still tense, and the bodyguards around is still clutch their weapons tightly.

An hour later.

Time drags on. It feels like days since we first realized we were under attack. I begged the guard to let us fight as well, but they refused. They said if anything happened we had to get Reizo out alive. Mariko quit whimpering, but I can tell she's still nervous. And Satoshi keeps pacing back and forth. Kumiko went to sleep, despite all the gunshots.

An hour later.

Kumiko woke up, and Reizo started to sing to her again, when three gunshots rang out, and the men guarding us feel to the floor, dead.

I immediately moved in front of Reizo, Satoshi and Mariko followed suit. Standing in front of us was a single man, dressed in black, holding a gun.

"Oh, look what we have here. A group of children, and a baby guarding the next ricerca boss." He smiled. "How nice of your family to leave us this little gift."

My mind was racing, how can I get us out of this?

Then, I heard a loud noise, I felt someone push me, and I heard Kumiko start crying again.

Reizo was on the ground, bleeding.

A bright red rose spread across his white shirt.

Mariko launched herself towards the man screaming. She pulled her bladed fans out from a small pocket on her skirt, and unfolded them with a loud snap. Then, blindingly fast she swiped at the man who simply dodged.

Satoshi rushed over to assist Mariko, as I stood shakily and went to Reizo.

Well aware both Mariko and Satoshi were fighting to buy me some time, I hurriedly peeled Reizo's blood soaked shirt to look at the wound. The small round hole didn't look big enough to produce all this blood.

"Hang on Reizo, I'll get you help." I said as I tore off pieces of my shirt to use as a bandage.

"Suzu..." He said quietly. "I had to. It was going to hit you..." He tried to smile, but grimaced.

I felt tears welling up in my eyes. "You'll be fine, the doctors will fix you. You'll be fine." I spoke quickly.

I heard a yelp, and saw Mariko had been thrown into a wall. The man now had a second gun out and was training it on her limp form.

My eyes widened.

My mouth opened as if to call out for her, and then...

The man put the gun to his head.

And pulled the trigger.

And collapsed.

And then I saw the dark grey flames surrounding Reizo.

[1]

Ashen one

[2]

I forgot in the last flashback, they're in Italy, so they won't use the Japanese honorifics. Sorry about that.

[3]

Ninna nanna ninnaò who do I give this love to?

I'll give it to you, 'cause for as long as I live I'll only love you

Ninna nanna ninnaò who do I give this love to?

I give it to you for as long as i live, and to no one else

It is a real song titled Ninna Nanna. Not sure if it's a lullaby, but it's a pretty song, so... Yeah.

Again thanks so much to kimmyluvschu for reviewing! And I'm insanely sorry it took me so long to update. Please forgive me? Also, please review? Your reviews are like a drug. Addicting, and probably not entirely healthy to want constantly...