CHAPTER X

"I have something to tell you... " your voice trails off, already too late. You watch as your new fiance, the love of your life run into the elevator and you can't help but feel this overwhelming panic deep inside your stomach.

Shaking your head hoping to shake the feeling away, you compose yourself and ask Giannini to fill you in.

Haru crashes into you at the sound of the disturbing news. She sobs hysterically and you are on the brink of tears and you can't believe something so horrid has happened to such a bright light.

You don't want to leave Haru but you don't have time to grieve nor console, you need to debrief your medical staff and prepare yourself for Kyoko's arrival. Thankfully Bianchi turns the corner, coming to see what all the commotion is all about and you fill her in. She pries the hysterical Haru from your arms and smiles at the ring she's noticed Gokudera has placed on your finger. This isn't the time to gush about the engagement.

You rush to your room and with one last inhale of Gokudera's scent on his shirt, you toss it off and get dressed. You alert your medical team and order them to ready the room while you scrub in. You wait nervously for Kyoko. She's brought in unconscious by the Vongola Recovery Unit and they've managed to somewhat stabilize her. She's still bleeding and you know she's already lost a lot of blood. You notice the stab wounds to her abdomen and you choke on the lump forming in your throat, fighting back the tears.

Gokudera's POV

Hibari was right, this had been a trap.

But Gokudera knew that and so did everyone else before even leaving the base. He knew the tenth wasn't thinking rationally but he was unable to stop him from going out of control. The enemy had been the remaining funeral wreaths, they had come for revenge.

A few months ago, Gokudera and the entire Vongola family had saved the future, literally, after being informed that a man who was able to travel to parallel worlds was gathering a family of psychos, calling themselves the Millfiore.

Byakuran, the Millfiore's leader, was plotting a world domination because all his other attempts failed in the previous worlds, and he and his army were one of the most powerful foes the Vongola family has ever faced. His army was fierce, with just himself and six other members, they quickly incapacitated the small Vongola team that awaited them, a clear gap in their strengths.

They might not have made it out alive if it weren't for the Varia, Cavallone Family and the Kyokuyo Gang with the exception of the real Mukuro showing up.

Now here the funeral wreaths were, taking revenge on the Vongola by taking something precious from them the way the Vongola did by killing Byakuran. The only difference was that Kyoko was like the tenth, she was everything that was good in this world.

And that they had just fucked with the wrong mafia boss. Hell, they've just fucked with the wrong mafia famiglia. Peaceful gang of vigilantes or not, the Vongola wouldn't stand by and allow someone to live after hurting one of their own.

At least not while Gokudera was the feared Vongola right hand man.

After the ambush, the guardians managed to get separated, the tenth and Ryohei had chased down Kikyo while Hibari was busy fighting Bluebell.

Gokudera and Yamamoto had chased down another wreath. As far as Gokudera could tell there were only three of them here.

Here stood Zakuro, the same opponent he had back then and Gokudera already knew his strengths and weaknesses.

He plugged his storm ring into his box weapon and activated his Sistema C.A.I.

Zukuro laughed and reminded Gokudera he had nothing he hadn't seen before and that fighting was futile.

Gokudera laughed in return, reminding Zukuro of the same thing.

Yamamoto took his stance, his Shigure Kintoki alight with his rain flame.

Zukuro opened his Carnage box and unleashed a powerful gust of storm flame.

Attacks begin to ensue, Gokudera and Yamamoto work well together (though Gokudera would never admit it). There's still a noticeable gap in their power levels but Gokudera's smarter this time around. And they have Kyoko to avenge. And Gokudera has something to live for.