Finn had hair between his toes and it wasn't his. Neither was the hair on his chest or the hair curled around his fingers. It was Kiko's hair. Unbound, it spread everywhere, although he wasn't going to complain. Why would he? For the first time in his life, he'd hit a home run. Or maybe Kiko had scored the home run since they were laying in her bed? Either way, he couldn't be happier. There was an amazing woman molded against his side and there wasn't a stitch of clothes between them.

"Don't fall asleep," Kiko mumbled against his chest.

"I know," he replied. Craning his neck to give her a kiss, he smiled when she smiled from the contact. Knife scars or no knife scars, she was too beautiful. "I have to go. Can I borrow your shower?"

"As long as you don't consider it a date," she teased.

"I get it," he chuckled. Giving her one final kiss, he slipped out of the bed and gathered his clothes. He couldn't stop smiling while he showered. Kiko was one of a kind. She didn't 'date', but she had no problem with 'hanging out'. The difference in terminology was a big deal to her because she wanted to have fun without making her life complicated with a serious relationship.

It was dangerous. Finn knew he could easily fall in love with her, but he couldn't afford a serious relationship, either. There was still too much to do, plus there was the little issue of turning into a baby if he succeeded. Ducking his head under the spray of the hot shower, he let the thought ground him while the dreamy bliss of the previous hours disappeared down the drain. His time with Kiko would stay in his memory, but it was only a memory. He didn't have a respectable future to offer anyone. He'd already killed once and he was going to do it again in the future. That was what hitmen did. That was also why he'd sent his mother and sister away. Anyone who stayed close to him would only be putting themselves in danger.

The greatest hitman in the world couldn't afford to have a weakness.

Finn cursed under his breath as a few pieces fell into place. This was why Reborn had manipulated him into acting like a lone wolf at school. This was why Reborn had made it seem like Finn's father was dead. This was even why he'd suspended Finn's training and practically disappeared all week. He didn't want Finn to make friends and have his friends hurt by proximity. He also didn't want people to think Finn, himself, was valuable enough to be used as a bargaining chip.

So what were Reborn's intentions with Finn's father? He was planning to let them meet in the future, but why? What good could possibly come from letting them meet, unless the old man was going to be a sacrifice? That was a possibility. Perhaps Reborn intended to use him as an example. Once Finn started building a reputation, people would target his father as soon as they heard they were related. Maybe Reborn wanted him to experience the danger first-hand so he would always remember the cost of getting close to people.

It was the only explanation that created a reason for a delayed reunion. Unfortunately for Reborn, Finn already understood the lesson. Turning off the shower, he began plotting while he dried off and put on his stale clothes. Reborn apparently wanted him to learn through trial-and-error, but it was annoying. So much time was being wasted with his round-about methods. Although, that could also be Reborn's intention. By giving Finn a lot of room to maneuver, he could progress at his own pace, but it wasn't the training Finn wanted. Experience in intrigue and counter-intrigue could wait a little while. He needed-

He needed to learn some damn patience, he realized. No matter how much he wanted to be the best, there was still a lot he needed to learn and rushing would only put him in an early grave. This wasn't the debate team and it wasn't high school. If he was going to stand on top of the Mafia, then a little humility was in order. For now, instead of plotting, he needed to get back to his room and put on a clean set of clothes for school.

Kiko had fallen back asleep. Finn took one final look at her, taking in everything from the way she curled around her blankets to the delicate toes peeking out, before silently swearing to forget they'd ever met. When the door shut behind him, he could swear it sounded like a stone tomb closing. It made him feel heavy and cold in a way he'd never experienced before.

"I get it," Finn mumbled.

"Do you?" Reborn asked from the comfort of a chair which hadn't been next to the door when they'd entered. Finn wasn't surprised at his sudden appearance. Somewhere inside, he'd known Reborn would show up from the moment Kiko had invited him to her room.

"Thanks," Finn replied. Thanks for not stopping me. Thanks for not underestimating my intelligence. "But I really get it. My dad, Kiko, the training suspension... I'm up to speed, Reborn." You didn't lie to me. It might not be how I expected, but you're training me like you promised. I'm not looking for revenge.

"You're taking this better than I expected," he commented. That's disappointing. I wanted you to cry like a weakling. Rising to his feet, he gestured for Finn to follow him away from 'the scene of the crime' while they talked. "Kiko wasn't part of my plans, but I was hoping to motivate you." I'm working my ass off to train you, so you better watch your priorities. Focus on your goal before women.

"I'm motivated," he said as they stepped onto an elevator and descended back into the underground facility. "But now that I know how much of your job involves intrigue, I'm not in such a hurry to become a fighting genius. I'm going to focus on studying more. I need to learn who all the players are before I start picking fights and I have the time now." Your nap technique is going to help a lot.

"Use the windowsills like the other Gauntlet students," Reborn advised. "Nap there before school and during lunch. You'll have to find time on your way to your Gauntlet assignments, but you can nap in the Family's cafeteria during dinner and the shooting ranges are pretty active around midnight. You can sprinkle extra naps during your classes and during downtime."

"You know," Finn replied with a crooked smile. "You could have told me that the Nap technique only works when other people are around instead of sending Mrs. Lee to prank me." I've figured out the trick, but it was a pain to make the connection.

"It's more fun to make you work for it," Reborn said as the elevator doors opened to Finn's floor. Rolling his eyes, Finn left Reborn behind and headed to his room.

He was running late. He barely had time to change and grab a slice of toast to take with him to the bus. Climbing on board, he was stunned to see Legs waving at him from the back seat. It made him reconsider the reason for the guy's absence. Maybe he hadn't been avoiding Finn on purpose, although that didn't change anything. With his most recent lesson still fresh in his mind, Finn ignored the invitation and randomly chose an empty seat toward the front.

Legs was disappointed. Finn could feel his aura the entire ride to school, but he couldn't do anything to fix it. No matter how well they suited each other as friends, Finn had to keep an eye on the future. It was true Legs was a member of the Varia. However, he was also a first-year student and there was no way to tell if his own training would allow him to progress at the rate needed to protect himself. While Finn was small fries right now, the time would come when anyone close to him would be in danger.

For that reason, Finn ignored him even when they climbed off the bus. Finn also separated him from the mob of Sawada classmates as soon as they entered the school's lobby. Glancing up at the high windows in the lobby, he nodded to himself as soon as he found an empty one. Getting up to it was the problem, though. He wasn't sure how the other Gauntlet students managed, but he could only think of using his Flame to let him jump so high.

Reaching into himself, he started to push out his Flame. He stopped before it surfaced, feeling a familiar, antagonistic aura at his back.

"Hector," he greeted with his gaze locked on 'his' window.

"Uh, ya," the guy replied nervously. "A-Are you planning on climbing up there, too?"

"You can drop the act," Finn replied. "Reborn forgot to turn off his surveillance equipment yesterday. I saw everything."

"Eh?"

"Do me a favor," Finn said. "Tell my father that he lied to me and abandoned me. Let him know I was disappointed to find out he's alive and I'll kill him if he tries to contact me again. Oh. And one more thing. Make sure to tell him that's from me and not Reborn. Can you do that?" Finn didn't wait for a response. Momentarily pushing out his Flame, a spark was all he needed to jump to a seat on the window sill.

Resisting the urge to look back at the people on ground level, Finn stared out the window while he wedged himself in place for a nap. He needed one after a night of physical training followed by several hours of a different sort of exercise. It'd been worth it, though. He no longer had any regrets about his choice to become an Arcobelano.

Setting aside his thoughts for Kiko, he closed his eyes and began diverting his Flame. It wasn't very difficult. Since his Flame was already flowing toward his brain, he merely had to 'splash' some of the flow in the right directions. The dreaming section of his mind was activated first, giving his surroundings a dream-like haze. Then he activated his sleep center. The combination initiated his body's 'rest-mode', relaxing his muscles and sending his blood cells into a hyperactive rejuvenation period.

He still expected to feel a tingling sensation, although he truly felt nothing. He might as well have been paralyzed. Only four of his senses were active: sound, smell, taste, and Blindsight. He could still see without his eyes, although the visions passing through his head were dull because of his numbed sense of touch. Yet, it was enough. As if he were floating outside of his body, he was able to easily watch the entire lobby.

Students gathered around Hector in effort to learn the meaning behind Finn's unfathomable request. Hector tried to play ignorant, but no one was believing it. In a corner of the room, Sawada students were gathering to whisper among themselves for similar reasons. Not everyone cared about Finn's outburst, though. There were also students who were studying before class. There were some who were talking and laughing about other subjects. There were even other loners like himself who simply watched everyone else.

The Gauntlet students in the other window-sills mostly fit into the last category, but there were a few who didn't. One boy regularly called down from his perch to share a quip with a group of students parked below him. Another reached out to grab a thrown breakfast sandwich in a clear wrapper. However, the Gauntlet student who really caught Finn's attention was the guy standing upside down in his window like his feet were glued to the ceiling. Humans weren't meant to defy gravity in such a way, but this guy did it as easily as breathing.

Activity outside the window distracted him from the movement indoors. It was strange. There were helicopters closing in on the school and Finn distinctly sensed several large Fire-creatures in the distance. The sound of cellphones going off pulled his attention back inside. It wasn't one or two cell-phones. It sounded as if every student was getting a call at the same time.

Bewildered by the oddity, Finn discontinued his nap and looked down at the lobby. In less than a minute, it'd turned into a mad-house. Students were running back and forth, mingling with other groups to trade information. The strangest part was the way everyone was talking in whispers like they were trying to keep it a secret. There was a connection to the helicopters, though. More than one student pointed toward the ceiling as the noise from the rotary blades became impossible to ignore. It sounded like they were all circling the building, which was exactly what Finn saw when he glanced out the window again.

Actually, there was more. Pressing a hand against the glass, Finn's jaw dropped in disbelief. Papa was hovering outside with his hands covered in Flames. Standing between him and the school was Hotaru atop a Flaming dragon. It looked like a stand-off. They were yelling back and forth, but Finn couldn't make out the words over the helicopters.

By chance, Finn's eyes met with Papa's and he was stunned by the man's hard expression. Then Papa's gaze abruptly turned into a sharp glare that startled Finn right off his perch. He managed to land on his feet, but he wasn't prepared for the reactions from his classmates. Instead of laughing, they also glared.

"Finn!" Spinning in place, Finn was relieved to see Reborn waving him into the office, but the dark shadow on his face squashed Finn's hopes. There was something seriously wrong and it had nothing to do with his landing.

"What's going on?" Finn asked as he ducked past him into the office. His heart began pounding at the silence within. The usual staff was missing, leaving him completely alone with Reborn once the door snapped shut. "Did I do something?"

"No," Reborn replied. The hitman leaned against the door and crossed his arms, acting more like a sentry than a Tutor. It was too strange. First, the helicopters circling the school, then all the phone calls. The students were running around like headless chickens and now even Reborn seemed to be infected. Between Papa's glare and the reactions of his classmates, Finn knew it had something to do with him. But he couldn't...

No, he amended as he sank into a waiting chair. He could think of one thing that would cause this type of commotion.

"They know I was with Kiko," he mumbled. Reborn silently shifted in place, which was more than enough confirmation for Finn. Yet, Finn didn't feel the need to panic. Between himself and Reborn, he knew there had to be something they could do.

"Don't be naive," Reborn admonished after reading his thoughts. "This isn't as simple as someone sleeping with the Godfather's daughter. It might seem like Kiko isn't difficult to seduce, but here are some harsh facts: you're the first man she's willingly spoken to since the kidnapping."

"Eh?" Finn gaped. "That can't be right. She -"

"No one will believe you if you say she initiated last night's activities," Reborn warned. "And it doesn't matter if she tells people the truth. People will think she's trying to cover for you due to fear or pride. Do you understand, Finn? You're being accused of rape and you have no way to clear your name."

"I-Is this some sort of training?" Finn asked in disbelief. "If so, you can quit it." Reborn pursed his lips and settled more firmly against the door. The tilt of his fedora said more than anything. This wasn't a joke. This wasn't training. He was really being accused and no one was going to believe the truth, even if it came out of the mouths of those involved.

"You're not the only one at fault," Reborn said. "I think I still have Hotaru on my side, but I've been pushing baka-Tsuna a little too much. He isn't thinking anymore; he's only reacting. Until he calms down, you won't have a chance."

"Is there something I can do?" Finn asked.

"I'm working on it," he replied. "Baka-Tsuna must be torn over this situation. Kiko is his daughter, but you're his student. If I can find a place for you to hide out until this initial surge dies down, he'll listen to reason. I want you to stay here while I make some arrangements. Whatever you do, don't leave the school grounds. You're not Tsuna's Family, so he can't touch you without my permission. And I'm not giving it."

"Reborn, I -"

"Don't think you're innocent because I'm taking some of the blame," Reborn warned. "The Family has been trying to pry Kiko out of her shell for a while now. It seemed natural with the way you two hit it off, but are you sure you didn't look at her in a certain way?" The question felt like a punch in the gut, one that left him winded and reeling. He hadn't even considered his ability as a possible culprit. He didn't remember using it, but he'd been really, really attracted to her. Could he have subconsciously activated it when he looked at her? "Kiko is an illusionist," Reborn added. "But a battle of illusions is a battle of wills. If even a small part of her wanted to believe in you, she would have been more vulnerable than most people."

"I... I don't know," he admitted. "D-Did I...?"

Reborn shook his head and slipped out the door, leaving Finn alone to struggle with his personal demons. He wanted to deny it. He wanted someone else to come forward and give him a reason why it couldn't be true, but no one did. No one could. His ability left no evidence and his own doubts made him guilty. To begin with, he hadn't believed a girl would be interested in him. He wasn't attractive. He wasn't likeable. He didn't even have credentials yet!

Looking at it from another angle, Finn realized it didn't matter. Regardless of whether he'd used his ability, Reborn hadn't said Kiko was accusing him. In matter of fact, he'd said that Kiko had tried to defend him. Therefore, there was no reason to be upset. It sucked that Papa wanted to kill him and he definitely needed to work on his ability-control so he didn't have any future incidents, but he had no reason to be ashamed. In matter of fact, shouldn't he be proud of himself? He'd gotten Kiko to open up when no one else could!

But he couldn't get cocky, he admonished himself. Since the Sawada Family wanted his blood, his only option was to go into hiding like Reborn proposed. It didn't seem right, though. There was no telling how long he'd have to keep his head down before he could resurface. At this rate, his training was going to suffer unless he did something.

Finn's eyes lit on the door to the Principal's Office. Looking around to make sure the room was still empty, Finn darted inside before the Secretary could show up. He grinned in glee at the sight of the Principal's computer. Making himself comfortable in the Principal's chair, he got to work. First, he linked with his digital notebook. Then, after some quick guesswork and structured hunting, he found the archive for the school's digital textbooks.

With one click, he downloaded the entire library. Less than a minute later, he was back in the waiting area with his notebook tucked under his vest for safe-keeping. It seemed stupid to wait, though. Since there was no way to predict the conditions of Reborn's 'arrangements', Finn summoned his courage and slipped into the lobby. The reaction of his classmates to his resurgence was a little lackluster. No one noticed him. A few even tried to run over him in effort to get to another group in time for an information trade.

Finn counted his blessings and headed for the cafeteria. Grabbing a dozen packaged sandwiches and several cans of juice from the rack, he paid for them and stuffed them into his bag before making a bee-line for the stadium. He had three helicopters and two flaming, winged snakes hovering over him before he reached the entrance, but they couldn't do anything since he stayed on school property. Once inside, he headed straight for the locker room and he gaped when he reached it. School hadn't started yet and his locker was already covered in spray-paint, dents, and... was that toliet paper super-glued to the surface? Rolling his eyes over the cliche form of bullying, he unlocked the door.

The sound of a car backfiring combined with an impact to his ribs made him freeze.

Looking down at himself, he trembled at the sight of his vest. The outer layer was shredded and the middle layer was the only reason he wasn't bleeding to death. It'd caught the bullet intended for his heart.

Finn considered himself warned as he carefully pushed the door open to reveal the trapped revolver inside. Grabbing his gym bag, he stuffed it with the contents of his locker and ran for the door before the masterminds of the trap could return. The helicopters and the flying snakes hovered over him as he crossed back to the main building, although the trip only took half the time. Using a side-door to get inside, he headed...

Where? He was already pressing his luck by walking around in the open and he couldn't do that for very much longer. The bell was due to ring any minute. Returning to the office was out of the question. Going to class was out of the question. Hiding in the bathroom was simply pathetic. The broom closet was even worse, but there was one other option: the roof. As long as he didn't actually go through the door, it was unlikely anyone would find him at the top of the stairs.

Finn slipped into the stairwell and started climbing. The way was blocked after the second floor landing. Mori-Mori sat on the stairs, crying into a handkerchief with Elario patting her shoulder. Finn didn't think. He acted. Darting into the second-floor hallway as the bell rang, he started running at full speed.

"Finn! Wait!"

Ignoring Elario's shout, he ducked into a randomly chosen classroom and slammed the door shut behind him. Taking a moment to lock it, he turned around and sent a silent 'thank you' to the heavens. His instincts hadn't betrayed him. He'd run into the weaponry classroom and there were plenty of weapons to choose from. Staying low to keep his silhouette from being seen by the circling helicopters, he grabbed the first pistol he saw and shoved two nearby boxes of ammunition into his bag. Then, slinging diagonally across his back, he took a moment to catch his breath and think.

The trap on his locker hadn't been a harmless prank. Someone inside the school had intended to kill him. Leaving wasn't an option. The school was surrounded by people who thought he'd raped the Sawada Boss' sister. Staying still wasn't an option. That idiot Elario was banging on the door and Finn could hear students gathering around him. However, leaving plus staying still was something he could do. There were places outside of the building which were still considered school grounds. He'd have to be careful not to pick a place where he would be seen by the helicopters, but it was his best option until Reborn returned.

Crawling over to the window to look out, he groaned. There wasn't enough time between helicopter passes to make it outside unnoticed. It was hopeless. All he could do was crouch under a table in the corner of the room and wait for someone to break down the door.

Or wait for someone to show up with keys, Finn realized as the door flew open. Taking a single deep breath, he raised his stolen pistol and swore to shoot anyone who tried to force him out. It would be self-defense. Not even the Vendiche would argue with him in this instance.

"He must have gone out the window," Elario mumbled as students began piling into the room. A pair stopped in front of his table. He could hear them fiddling with the weapons on the table over his head, but they didn't seem to notice him. He couldn't sense any hostility or aggression like he would have if they'd seen him. "Is anything missing?"

"Looks like everything is here except a Luger P08 and a couple boxes of ammo," the teacher replied. Odd, Finn thought. The teacher noticed the missing weapon in seconds, but why didn't the guy see him? Was he faking?

"Figures," Elario groaned. "That's Reborn's favorite. I'll report it to the office for you. I know the situation is abnormal, but please try to continue your class like usual. If you see Finn, please tell him to come to the office so we can get this mess cleared up. I'm sure if he talks to the Tenth, a rational explanation will emerge."

"Assuming the Tenth doesn't kill him on sight," the teacher said with a laugh. Elario swore under his breath at the comment, but he left without putting up any resistance.

Finn couldn't believe it when the tardy bell rang and the class actually started. Had they really not noticed him? It seemed impossible. His hiding place was really crappy. The tables didn't even have table-clothes to hide behind. Yet, they didn't have a reason to ignore him, either. Were they faking? Were they not? He couldn't figure it out, so he stayed crouched with his pistol raised while the teacher gave a lecture on bullet calibers. Surprisingly, it turned out to be an interesting lesson, which made Finn wish he hadn't waited to take the class.

"Reborn! What are you- Students! Pay attention! This is Reborn, the greatest hitman in the world. His record includes-"

"I'm not here as a guest lecturer," Reborn interrupted. "Finn, you can come out. The arrangements are finished."

"He's not-"

Lunging past the students in front of his hiding spot, Finn kept his pistol raised in warning to keep anyone from shouting. Everyone stared at him with bulging eyes and parted lips, but Finn wasn't buying it. He slowly backed through the rows of tables until he reached Reborn's side while making sure to keep a proverbial eye on as many 'classmates' as he could.

"They're not faking," Reborn murmured. "You can stand down."

"But-"

"I told you before," Reborn said. "If you hide in a box for two days, people would completely forget about you."

"Eh, but-" Finn grimaced as Reborn's fist rammed into the top of his head in a reminder. He wasn't supposed to say 'but'.

"We're leaving," he said. Glancing back at the flabbergasted room of Mafioso, Finn followed as Reborn walked out the door. Finn expected him to stop and open the doorway to the control room, but he didn't. He continued to lead the way down the stairwell, across the courtyard, through the lobby, and out the front door. Finn stopped before stepping out into the open. He didn't understand. Why were they leaving in such a pedestrian manner?

Then it hit him.

"The school," Finn said as Reborn paused to wait for him. "If I'm not seen leaving, the helicopters won't leave and the classes will continue to be disturbed."

"If you know, then stop wasting time," Reborn admonished. Nodding, Finn darted forward to walk behind him and he didn't miss Reborn's backward glance at his shredded vest. He figured there wasn't a reason to explain. Reborn probably knew more about his misadventure in the school than he did. "Stay close. We might have to run. You're on your own if you can't keep up."

Taking the warning as a hint to prepare his Flame, Finn reached inside himself. He didn't pull out his Flame, though. Not yet, since it might be considered an act of aggression against the man waiting in the school drive-way. Trusting Reborn, he followed as the man led him straight up to Papa and stopped without stepping past the wall marking the outside edges of the school's territory.

The two stared daggers at each other for a long, silent minute. Then, with a complete lack of worry, Reborn stepped past him and strolled down the sidewalk. Finn didn't immediately follow. When Papa turned his glare on him, he felt he should say something, but he couldn't think of anything. He didn't want to lie and he couldn't honestly say he was innocent. What was he supposed to say to a man who believed he'd been betrayed?

Without a word, Finn charged past Papa and fell into place behind Reborn. His own silence made him flush in shame. This felt too much like running away, even though he couldn't argue with the results. The helicopters broke free of their circular path around the school and turned straight for them.

Reborn reached back, grabbed his sleeve, and started running. Pulling out his Flame, Finn still felt like he was being dragged instead of fleeing under his own power. Finn's heart began racing as bullets began spraying on the sidewalk behind them. Running as fast as he could, he cursed the length of the school property. Their only chance laid in the narrow alleys between the buildings beyond. He also cursed Reborn. The hitman was too fast, yet it was his speed that got them into an alley before the helicopters could lock onto them.

As the helicopters flew past and circled around to come after them, Reborn abruptly let go of his arm. Finn took the opportunity to catch his breath, but it wasn't necessary. With a glance to make sure they had an unsupervised moment, Reborn pressed a hand against the alley wall. A section of wall receded. Hearing the helicopters drawing close again, Finn jumped inside only half a step behind Reborn.

Finn watched as the door resealed itself behind him and the brick facade of the entryway faded to become the texture-less dead-end of the control room's hallway. No matter how many times Finn saw it, it still amazed him to see the unlimited types of doorways the control room could make. It made him eager to learn the controls, but his enthusiasm disappeared as a square section of the hallway wall slid aside to reveal his new 'accommodations'.

"Is this a joke?" Finn asked. Looking down the hallway, his jaw slowly dropped at Reborn's firm expression. His jaw dropped even more as he looked back at his new home.

It was an unlit cavern.

"You have two options," Reborn said. "The first option is to take you home. I'll pull some strings to get Hotaru to call off the Family, but the price will be your memory. You'll wake up in a hospital with the same mental capacity as a newborn, but you'll have your life and you can rebuild it."

"And the other option?" Finn prompted solemnly.

"Walk through the door," he replied. "It might look like an empty cave, but it's not. This is your new training ground. That's assuming you don't fall down a chasm and die. Or starve to death. Or get eaten. Or-"

"I get it," Finn groaned. "How long do I have to stay?"

"Until you're strong enough to leave," he said with the beginnings of a smile. "What will you choose?"

"That's a stupid question," he grumbled as he stepped forward into the darkness. "I'll see you in a few days."

"Baka," Reborn said as the door slid shut. "You mean 'years'."