Katekyo Hitman Reborn

My Fate is Certainly Uncertain

Chapter 35: The Frog, The Maiden and The Girl Who Knew Too Much.

Overall warnings: Swearing and disclaimer things, my lovelies.

[Written to: Call of the Wind - Xandria, Ijime Dame Zettai - Babymetal ]

~o0o~

The honeymoon was brilliant and even though it was short lived; Dino had meetings to attend and whatnot while I had to train for the mission, relentlessly. It was nice to have someone to go home to, that would ask how your day was and all that jazz. For once, I felt like I had a somewhat permanent home. Note to all of you though, if you ever find yourself in the middle of two groups that are really annoying and see a teal haired child in a river: RUN.

But back on a more what my life was like for the next three months and not when I was trying be be assassinated by an apple. I wasn't like I couldn't defend myself. Dino of all people knew that. However, as the lady of the house, or 'lady boss' as some of the younger famiglia members have started to call me, I had to undergo some lessons on several things. Like, on how to act when representing the famiglia. Always put your best face first in the face of rudeness. Make sure you're careful when accepting gifts. Always hand them over to one of the senior famiglia members so that they can scrutinise it. (That's why we couldn't open the wedding gifts till a couple of days later. Aaaand surprise surprise, poison flowers. Not really, actually. I broke a lot of girls hearts that day.)

Malcomson was probably the nicest out of everyone in the mission to space. I say probably because even though he's the first to say good morning to me, he's secretly creepy behind that smile of his The others, while they're more upfront with their odd ways, I don't feel so jarred. Good face first though. They just thought I was going to protect them while they fix parts on the space station. But I actually had reasons already to suspect everyone here. Iemitsu said we didn't need the station to blow up. We would be on the borderline between safe and catastrophic if any pieces landed on areas that didn't occupy seawater.

"Mornin' Marsh."

"Good morning Malcomson." I called, walking into the air hangar after signing in at the front desk and locking away my valuables and dry clothes. The hangar was at the north end of the space station in the countryside, so a lot of the time I slept in a cell on base. "How's the family?"

"They're doing good." He admitted, scratching the back of his neck. None of them knew that I had connections to the mafia world. They all thought that I was working under a protection program that the government set up. But honestly, in my opinion, who would do that? The ever changing politics here can't be trusted that much, and I myself don't like to trust "government officials" 'cause I don't know where they've been.

HIs family was in America still, so they had to do skype calls every week but he was looking forward to going back home when the mission was completely over and when he didn't have to look at another paper ever again.

"Good. Good."

"Go get suited up. Shi hasn't arrived yet but we can get into gear for an early swim."

Oh joy. Something that involved water, my best friend.

Yay.

For real, I didn't actually touch the water in the two hours that passed but man, I was so sweaty from being in the suit. I had to swim lengths in in non stop and start treading water drills for minutes at a time, completely submerged. It was bloody difficult, and I swore that I was going to give Iemitsu a fucking beating when this was over.

But I was seriously looking forward to the anti-gravity feeling. I imagined myself floating, my hair dancing like it was being pulled by invisible strings. I thought that I'd get that tingling feeling in my feet from my circulation. Many nights I'd wake up and go outside - while Dino was still asleep - just to look at the stars. They were so far away and there was no possibility that we'd make it there in our lifetime, but the thought of being closer to something untouched felt euphoric.

Just to reach up into the air would soon be distant and the grass on my bare legs would be miniscule. The night was my own to think thoughts with. Probably more dangerous than it tends to lead on. But keeping your eyes shut and falling asleep, I found, is worse.

I had one week in a month to have off, as compensation for the grueling training they were putting me though, since I had to go through catch-up, as Shi named it. I could go back to the house and not worry about Iemitsu calling me up for anything else.

Worst thing about the training was how beat up my body was getting. It was definitely on par with Lal's. Not in the way of sparing, where you're left with bruises, but when at the end of it you can hardly move a bone in your body. I felt really tender.

Iemitsu, halfway through the program, decided to add Basil into the group of merry men. THough, he didn't enjoy the training at all. I think he'd rather be in the den, filing what paperwork was left, rather than being here. I'd do the same, but neither of us had the choice to opt out.

I had a long hot shower when I got back. Everybody said hello to me, like always, and I tried my best to reply to them, even though I didn't have to. But I kept things short this time and headed straight for the bathroom. I quite liked it, since this was the one Dino let me used for personal things so I stayed there for a while, just standing. Just thinking and absorbing the warmth.

So apparently, when I had gotten out of the bathroom, I didn't have any thoughts left to spend on the small, teal haired child who was asleep on my bed.

Oh dear…..I thought, drying my hair furiously with a grey towel. I threw it in the washing basket and stood there, wondering on a couple of things.

One, how the hell did he get past the guards.

No wait, I've done that before. Shoot.

Two, why on earth was he here? I swore, the last time we met, I wasn't exactly a nice person. Don't hit me for telling him that he should be a little less creepy. I simply said that he wouldn't make any friends with a face like his.

And you know what? That did absolutely nothing. He was almost as worse as Al.

"Get up." I ordered, lightly shaking his shoulder.

He didn't.

So I started counting down from five, and he rolled over, taking the sheets and duvet with him. Nobody told him that there wasn't a banister on the other side, so he fell off with a satisfying thump.

"Kid, you alive?"

He replied with a monotone that resembled my patience in the world and the assholes all over.

"That hurt, Sister."

"You were the one who fell off on his own, not me." I told him. "That was your own fault. And I told you last time, my name's Phillipa, not sister."

"You could have stopped me."

"Stopped who, the kid that broke into my room, hm?"

"I didn't break in." His head popped up from behind the mattress, tussled. His eyes were really pretty, but I didn't understand the genetics behind the colour being exactly like his hair. It was pretty cool though. "I opened the door."

"Same thing."

"Is not. Different adjectives to achieve the same goal."

My eyes thinned. "What are you doing here kid? Aren't you supposed to be in France with your Grandmother?"

He breathed air out his nose. "Grandmother died."

Good going Phillipa.

"And they told me to pick a side, so picked you."

Oh fucking - Really Phillipa?! You seriously know how to attract people with that award winning personality of yours.

I didn't really know what to do with the kid, since it was still morning and I didn't want to alarm anyone with his presence. And I'm guessing that if he chose me over the Varia and the other group, the one with that creepy guy that Chrome was attached to, then they too would start to turn heads at me. I didn't need that.

I helped him up and took him down to the kitchen area. The kid looked so scrawny, and I could hear his stomach rumbling. His apple hat was missing and I found that quite funny to see how he normally looked without a target on his head. He was way shorter than me, and a couple of years younger than Tsuna, but looking at his body frame, it wouldn't matter. The kid would be tall.

"Hey, Sister…."

"Don't call me that." I reminded him.

"Hey Boss….."

"I'm not your boss either."

Fran paused. "Hey Boss, can I have a sandwich?"

My stomach growled at the same time, and I paused to look at the traitor. I sighed and nodded.

I found Jenny in the kitchen, checking the supply cupboard. This was the first time I'd seen her back after she went visiting her son and daughter-in-law in Austria. She had a new grandson to dote over. I would have given her more time, but she said a week was more than enough for her.

"Oh!" She yelped when I came in, dragging Fran behind me by the wrist. He didn't mind me doing that, but wished that I'd loosen up a little. "M-Miss!"

"It's okay." I told her, telling Fran to sit over in one of the chairs that surrounded the table that sat in the middle of the room. This was the place where Dino and I ate. There was another table, a massive one, in the dining hall, but neither of us liked to use it much. Only on special occasions, with guests, he said. "This is Fran. Fran, say hello."

"Hello."

Jenny nodded. "Alright Miss. Hello Fran, pleasure to meet you. I must ask you for your reasons for being here thought…" I could hear her drawing out a knife from under her apron and I scowled. "Miss is my top priority."

"Boss, the food-fairy is starting to scare me…."

I sighed and told her to put away her weapons. I made Fran two sandwiches and made some for myself.

"Uh, Miss? How are you going to explain his when Boss gets home?"

"Boss?" Fran asked, puzzled. "Boss's boss?"

"My husband." I told him. "You met him too, when you first met me."

"Oh…..the sheep."

Sheep huh?

I shrugged at her question.

"Then, how on earth did you meet him? He managed to get past the guards….."

~o0o~

Paris was cool. I never told anyone, but I've always loved the architecture is some places in Europe. How the streets are pathed with cobblestone bricks and oddly shaped lamp posts. How random sculptures are everywhere and the quiet that you can find if you look far enough. I liked the way their lights shined in the dark, and their lamb. And the mashed potatoes. I was a simple girl.

We wouldn't have a long time to spend together, so Dino had planned this get-away to the countryside of France, where there were wheatfields and mountains. We both just wanted somewhere quiet. He thought it would be pretty cool to go hiking again and I didn't protest. He wanted to cook, so I allowed him to, carefully watching so that he didn't set anything on fire with the portable stove.

Nobody would find us here, I thought, loving the silence. My stomach wasn't grumbling anymore and Dino poked my butt again.

"Come on Philly, it's just up ahead!"

"What, the river?"

"Yes! We can go swimming!"

"But you know how I feel about it."

He grinned cheekily. "You weren't complaining when you went swimming for Squalo."

"Why are you smiling? He was in trouble and was going to drown. You even asked for my help!"

He loved to tease, but our chatter ceased when we reached the riverbank. My gut dropped when I heard the people and, of course I knew who they were, They were annoying flies.

"Oh good grief…." I muttered.

"Oh wow. Think they're recruiting someone?"

"Probably." I muttered. "Must be sought after though, if the Varia and the creepy dudes from Japan are here."

There was a kid they were chasing, and I remember briefly, the battle in the future. I caught glimpses of a boy wearing a Frog hat. However, I was battling Ghost at the time, so I didn't remember him well.

"Help me!" He called, running towards us. "A tooth decay fungus that forgot to cut it's bangs and that balled looking guy threw some nasty looking knives at me!"

"Should we help him?" Dino asked as the kid hid behind us.

"VOOOI! BRATS, LEAVE THE KID ALONE, HE'S OURS!"

"Yo kid. You're not going to make any friends with a face like yours." Dino nudged me with his elbow. I nudged back. "That's good. Keep it and maybe you can get these guys off of your back."

I walked away after that, and Dino trailed after, still a little worried about the kid, but I knew he was going to be alright. They wanted him alive, right, so he wouldn't die or anything stupid.

"He will be fine." I said, taking Dino's hand. "Let's get out of here and find a shower, yeah?"

~o0o~

"This is a good sandwich Boss."

I swallowed a piece of ham. "Thank you."

"And so you came all this way Fran, just to that you could join Miss's family?"

He nodded. "If Boss will allow me to stay, the other fairies will stop chasing me."

The other fairies, huh?

I sniffed and put down my sandwich, changing my posture in the seat I was in. "Jenny, would you please leave? I need to discuss things over with Fran."

"Okay Miss. Please call if you're in need of anything."

"I will."

Once she closed the door, I got serious with Fran. Even if he was a kid, only as young as Tsuna, I still needed to address him like an adult. I needed to work things out so that no harm would be brought to the Famiglia. They were my priority now, just as much as they were Dino's.

"Alright Fran. Why are ya here?"

"To become a part of the family, Boss. I just explained why, didn't I?"

"You did, but I wanted to check. Why not the others?"

"You didn't threaten me."

"And that's it?"

"And that's it."

Wow.

~o0o~

It certainly surprised Dino when he came home to find me in the courtyard, reading a book while Fran played in a blow-up kiddies pool that we bought at a cheap price. He was sleeping previously, but I guessed that the sun got to him a lot. That's why he made illusions of the cold sometimes, around himself.

Surprised and defensive he was with me, after Dino talked with Fran, we decided that he'd stay under our family, after I asked if I could keep him.

My training continued as usual. It was hard but Basil kept saying that we'd make it for sure. That it'll be time soon to say goodbye to all of those we leave behind on the ground while we cruise towards the stars. A month and a bit passed as we trained and my body felt tired every time I woke but it was worth it. I could hardly keep meals down in the mornings but I could eat after trainings. I guess the work was more nerving that I had anticipated.

Fran was welcomed into the family, rather happily, after I'd talked to everyone. Some of them were a bit hesitant, but after I had explained this rather strange predicament I'd somehow gotten myself into, they accepted his fate. He was grateful of me for taking him in and little by little, I saw him grow taller in both height and confidence.

Though, in saying that, the Varia came over one day to try and persuade him but I told them to buzz off and get their noses out of other peoples assholes. Fran asked later why I did that and I told him that it wasn't their choice.

"It's not their choice to come up here and order me around!" I yelled furiously. "Oh the nerve of that fucking shark….."

"Thank you, Boss."

"You're my underling and it's my job to protect you kid. But if the time comes when you want to go out into the world and do your own thing, you can. I'm not going to stop you."

~o0o~

The first time I really saw any emotions from Fran, sadness, happiness, be them watered down to nothing, was when we visited Aria. My time was precious with her. Her health had gone downhill since the wedding, and all of us were getting worried. Reborn asked me if I could keep an eye on her and I obliged.

Gamma wasn't too sure on having him here, but I assured him that he wouldn't pose a threat and I made Fran promise too.

I introduced them while she was lying in bed. They shook hands and we talked, till her daughter came in. I was surprised, but I gave no signs of recognition. I hadn't met this version of her, had I? So there was no reason for me to run up and hug her.

I still did. And she giggled, just like I expected her to, as her body was spun in circles in the air.

When we left, Fran seemed more quiet than he was before. Rolling around in unanswered thoughts wasn't a smart idea.

"Penny for your thoughts?"

"That woman. She's going to die."

"Yes." I nodded, keeping my head straight as we left the premises. "She will."

"Then what will happen to that girl?"

I shrugged. "She'll be the head of the family. They don't have another choice."

"But she's so young."

I paused in my step and turned to look at my underling.

"Age is irrelevant."

I hoped that she wouldn't die soon though. We still hadn't had tea and cakes.

~o0o~

Then, one day, I woke up with a terrible headache. Worse than most, since I hardly got them at all, for my health's matter. Of course, I didn't particularly enjoy it, but unfortunately it came with a fever that refused food to go down my hatch. Dino was away overseas, in Japan. Something about Tsuna's coronation, and I wished to go, but I couldn't for obvious reasons. I couldn't tell them the nature of the mission, but instead gave them my warmest congratulations and said that I couldn't make it due to my work schedule.

"Here." Jenny said, giving me ice-cold water and thankfully, I drank every drop of it. It seemed that the fever would allow that much, at least. "You'll be okay."

"Thanks." I said, quickly falling asleep after, dreaming of things that I'd rather forget.

Dino called later that evening, just as I finished some specks of dinner. Soup wasn't my favourite thing, by far, but Jenny said that liquids seemed to be agreeing with me as of late, so it would have to do.

"How's Japan?"

"Crazy stuff." He replied, with a giggle in his voice. "Ah, things went down at the coronation and now Tsuna's gone off the radar."

"What!" I yelled. 'W-"

"Don't worry, The Ninth knows the vicinity in which Tsuna and the team are in, just not their precise location. Another family with a huge grudge gatecrashed the party."

I sat back against the pillows. They puffed out excess air. "Well, that's to be expected, right? You can't be the top family without making enemies along the way…"

"Don't we know that….." He breathed out a somber smile. "How are you anyway? Heard that you weren't feeling too good."

"It's just a fever. Nothing big. I'll be fine tomorrow."

"Well I hope so!"

"Me too."

And I was right. The next morning, I woke up feeling happy because I didn't have a headache. It was bloody awesome and I even ate all my toast for breakfast. Watered down, to tell you the truth, but I've had a dislike for dry tasting things.

Like how my mouth felt, when Jenny handed me a brown, unnamed paper bag.

"Here you go Miss." She said, coming back from the shopping trip. I wondered if she brought the fruit like I'd asked, but today, I didn't feel like a smoothie. "All of these will benefit your health. There's some painkillers, antibiotics, vitamin pills, amongst other things that I think might help."

As I looked in the bag, I looked bag up at the scheming lady.

"Jenny."

"Yes?"

"I don't need this." I took the long, thin box out from the bottom of the bag.

"It's just in case." She said, making sure I kept a hold of it. "We don't know what caused you to get the fever, but your loss of appetite….."

"I'm not pregnant." I told her, giving the box to her. "I'm just overworked, that's all."

"Miss, I'm afraid for your health and Boss is too! Please, just at least try."

I growled and snatched the box. "Fine. Fine!"

The bathroom felt more enclosed when I locked the door. I locked it because I didn't want anyone to come barging in. The nerves and voices in my head were getting to me while I waited.

They told me that it wasn't possible.

That I'd be fine.

It'd be negative.

I curled up into a ball and leaned against the cupboard doors as the result came. I was fucking pissed but if I went out there, I wouldn't be able to hold myself together. It said I was pregnant, and I was angry. If I was pregnant, I wouldn't be able to go on the mission.

"Fuck." I whispered, biting down hard, beginning to think that I may draw blood if I kept doing it.

Hide it. My conscious told me. Hide it, they won't be able to stop you if you keep being yourself. Just tell them you're okay.

"No. I can't." I told myself, whispering. "Don't be stupid. Of course they'll notice. I'll look like a fucking planet."

"Miss?" Jenny called, knocking on the door.

My head bobbed up and I thanked myself for locking that door. "W-What?"

"Are you okay? You've been in there for a while…."

Am I okay? What a petty question to ask.

I found myself sitting there for a while, till my butt went sore and the air inside the bathroom felt too claustrophobic for my liking.

But I wasn't ready to go out there. I thought about calling Dino, but I didn't want to trouble him and I didn't want to go through telling Iemitsu yet.

Instead I called my doctor and booked a check-up. I had to be sure.

~o0o~

Not much time to talk today. Should be doing assignments. FML.

Replies:

Zuta-chan: YES I KNOW :D HERE YOU GO ANOTHER UPDATE! THANKS FOR READING.

LeoInuyuka: I HOPE SHE WILL. How are you, by the way? ;D

natachoco: You may or may not be correct in your guess. I am not obliged in any way to reveal anything until their chapters come. So who knows what might happen. Aliens? Maybe. Chocolate? Maybe. AL in the last chapter on Squaloness? Quite probable.

Animefreak1123: Don't worry, you'll make it! I really hope I've done myself proud with this story. This is the second time around and I've had moments when I've considered deleting everything but I'm positive when I say I'll finish this.

My Name Is Alice: I know right? I have a habit of listening to songs originally in English in Italian to practice hearing it. They're so adorable! 3 Sqweeeee~!

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