Hey guys... I'm back! So I wanted to apologize for not posting as often as I promised, but things seemed to continue to get in the way and I find my self just not motivated enough to write. I don't want to force myself to write because I know that if I were to do that, then my writing would be half-assed and I just refuse to allow that. As my readers, you deserve better. Any way, so here's is the new chapter! After so long it is finally here! I hope you enjoy this one, it's nearly 3K words long and I have to say I think I did pretty good, all things considered. We finally find out what Dorenzo wants, and I'm not gonna lie. I just pulled this out of my ass after getting off work at 6AM and it is now nearly 8:30 AM where I am. I wrote a majority of this before work last night and it's been a struggle to keep my eyes open while editing this morning, so sorry in advance if there are errors. Enjoy!

It felt like the clock had a vendetta against Akihito as he sat on the couch that had been moved to the side to make room for the operations that Kirishima had made sure was ready. A monitor had been set up with a camera for the video conference that was going to be taking place any minute. Akihito looked at the clock again and held back a huff. It had only be three minutes since he had last looked at it.

The time for the video chat was still twenty minutes away and Akihito could literally feel his sanity clawing up the walls. Asami was still making last minutes preparations when Kirishima walked over with what looked like a cup of tea. Silently he handed it to Akihito who took it with surprise.

"What's this for? I could have gotten my own."

Kirishima pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, "You seemed to be in need of something to help you relax."

Akihito snorted, "Relax? That word isn't even in my vocabulary at the moment." Akihito's tone was bitter, but he accepted the tea and took a sip. Kirishima remembered how he like it, he noticed.

Kirishima shifted uncomfortably, "I don't even want to imagine."

For moment, Akihito was caught off guard by the underlining fear he heard in the usually stoic man's voice, "You know, I just realized. I haven't asked you or Suoh about what you guys have been up to these last few years. How's everything going back home for you? Find a girl yet?"

Kirishima knew that Akihito was trying to distract himself and was more than glad to help, "Yes. I'm also a father."

Akihito's eyes grew to a comical size, "Really?! Kirishima, that's awesome! What's she like; how many?"

Kirishima could feel an invisible smile stretch on his lips, "Haruhi is wonderful. She works as a designer's assistant at a firm and she has quite a cheerful personality. We have two children and she is pregnant with our third."

Akihito whistled lowly, "That's amazing. How old are your children and when's the baby due?"

"Our son is six and our daughter is about to be four. The baby isn't due for four months and it looks like it's going to be another boy."

Akihito beamed, "What are their names!"

Kirishima really couldn't help it as he softly smiled, "Makoto, Mimia and we haven't decided on a name for the baby yet. We agreed to discuss it when I returned."

Akihito continued to smile for a moment before he began to look guilty, "I'm sorry you have to wait to go home now. Your flight was supposed to leave today."

Kirishima waved his guilt aside, "Do not feel bad. Haruhi understands that for the moment, Ryu is our top priority. She also wanted me to tell you that she hopes that you are well."

Akihito smiled, "That's very sweet of her. I'll have to thank her properly when we come to visit in the spring." Speaking of the future as they were now helped Akihito to feel better. The thought that their plans were still happening were a comfort and relief to his aching heart. Suddenly he grinned and looked back to Kirishima with mischief, "So what about Suoh?"

Just as Kirishima was going to reply, Asami walked over, "It's starting in five minutes."

That's all that needed to be said. Kirishima gave the two of them a bow and walked back to the others to check over a few last minute adjustments. Asami sat with Akihito and tucked him into his side, careful not to spill his tea. Akihito welcomed the warmth that Asami gave and allowed him to sooth his reemerging nerves.

"Do you plan to sit here or wait in the room?" Asami's timbered voice against his ear was a balm to Akihito's agitation. They had already discussed and agreed that it would be better if Akihito wasn't part of the video conference. More than likely Akihito would either fly off the handle in rage or have a break down. There was no neutral calm here. Plus, Asami agreed that Dorenzo seemed to think that Akihito was more of Ryu's babysitter, not his parent. Which was logical, after all to anyone who didn't know otherwise, Akihito was a man and he couldn't possibly bare children... well jokes on him.

Asami and Akihito felt that it would be best if Dorenzo remained ignorant of the truth just in case the situation could be used as a wild card.

Akihito shifted so that he could look up at Asami, "I'll stay here. I'll just drive myself mad if I wait in the other room." Asami nodded and Akihito laid his head back against Asami's chest, "He's probably going to demand what territory you have here in the states. Maybe even trade routes and suppliers."

Asami ran his fingers through Akihito's hair, "Most likely. If he has the balls he might even demand territory in Japan."

"He wouldn't dare!" Akihito sat up and turned to face Asami, "If he thinks that he's going to get away with that, then he'd have to already have friends at home waiting for this. There's not a chance in hell that he was that prepared."

"No there isn't, but he is ambitious and power hungry. What better way expand than to branch out of the country?"

"Still that seems a little too farfetched. Like you said he's ambitious, so either he's the kind who runs in head first because he's over confident or he's the kind that will have eight different back up plans to guarantee he comes out on top. I don't know about you, but he seems more like the latter to me."

Asami smiled softly, "I believe that you are right, but we won't know for sure until we hear from him."

"Asami-sama." The two looked up at the interruption to see Suoh standing there waiting. "Apologies for the interruption, but it's time."

Akihito became as stiff as a board and looked back to Asami. The older gently swept blonde strands to the side and gave Akihito a soft kiss to his forehead. Akihito could only take a deep breath of Asami's natural scent and take what comfort he could from it. Asami gave him a nod of his head before he stood and made his way to the desk that the camera and monitor was ready and waiting.

Akihito curled up into the corner of the couch and placed his now cold tea onto the side table. From his position he would be able to see Asami and Dorenzo, but the camera was placed so that only Asami, Suoh and Kirishima would be seen by Dorenzo. The few things that had been placed in the room for decoration had been moved so that the only thing in the shot would be the wall behind them.

Asami and the others stood tall and waited as the loading connection screen popped up. Asami was sure to keep a neutral look on his face and didn't so much as blink as the face of Dorenzo was brought up. The bastard had the gal to greet him with a self-satisfied smirk that Asami couldn't wait to slap off.

"Good evening, Mr. Asami. I hope you are well."

Asami let the silence speak for it self as he remained so. Dorenzo puffed out his lips and gave a mock pout, "Oh, are you not talking to me? Well, if that is so we can reschedule?"

"Dorenzo, I have had enough of your games. You have something of mine and I believe you want something in return."

"Touchy aren't you?" He asked with a grin. "Well, it's true that your son is here with me and before you even ask for proof..." Dorenzo trailed off as he motion at something behind the view of his own camera. Th vision panned around and when it stopped, it took every fiber of Akihito's body not the jump from his seat and rush to Asami's side.

Ryu sat on what looked like a couch with a man beside him to be sure he didn't move. He seemed to be alright and there were no visible injuries, but that didn't stop Akihito from worrying.

Asami's jaw clenched as he looked over his son. Just like Akihito, he could not see anything immediately wrong with him, but he still asked, "How are you Ryu?"

"I'm ok, Papa," he responded. HIs voice was steady, but Asami could see him subtly looking around him on the monitor. He was looking for Akihito. Asami nodded while looking directly at him, hoping that he was conveying that his Daddy was there even if he couldn't see him. Ryu gave him a small smile in understanding and sat a little straighter.

"Ryu, what did you receive from me on Christmas?" Asami asked. He wouldn't put it by Dorenzo to use a recording of his son.

"You gave me matching necklaces with our names engraved." Asami was proud of his vague answer. It would seem that their intelligent boy had picked up on his captors ignorance of Akihito.

Before any more could be said between father and son, the camera panned back to Dorenzo, "There, your proof before asked, so why don't we get down to business, shall we?"

Asami narrowed his eyes, but said nothing, waiting for Dorenzo to make the first move. The prick continued to smirk before he spoke again, "You shall have what you want when I receive what I want."

"And what is it that you want?" Asami growled.

Silence hung between them before Dorenzo leaned back in his seat and replied, "Europe."

The quite of the room was only disturbed but the twitch of Kirishma as he stood wide eyed at the two men in their battle of wills. He now understood what it was that Dorenzo wanted. Asami didn't so much as flinch at the request and remained aloof. Meanwhile Akihito was officially lost.

"What about Europe? Surely you don't need me out of the way to plant a foot hold. There is still quite a bit of territory that has been left unclaimed since the French mob disbanded five years ago."

"That may be so. But that just begs to question why you haven't claimed more than you already have? Don't get me wrong, Asami, Europe is a large continent, but I had noticed that after the French decided to break, you started to claim territory at an exponential rate. Then suddenly three years ago, you completely froze your advance."

Asami continued to remain impassive as if his actions were completely justified and that he truly had had no further interest in the rest of Europe.

"So I did some digging about a year ago," Dorenzo continued. He cocked his head and smiled, "For a while I thought that you had just taken a break to build you assets and establish bases of operations. But when you continued to remain dormant, I knew something was up. I sent a few of my own men to infiltrate your ranks, which wasn't that hard since you are almost never in Europe and your security was horribly lacking.

"And imagine my surprise at what was reported to me through my moles." Dorenzo gave a look of mock surprise before he chuckled gloatingly, "They had discovered the true reason as to why you had backed away from the rest of Europe. You didn't need it because you had found something in the mountains of Italy."

Once again silence reigned in the room and Akihito watched as the two men battled silently in their own wills. Finally after what seemed like forever, Dorenzo spoke again, "So here is the deal, if you want your son back you will give me the location in Italy and back away from Europe as a whole. As you said, there is still a lot of territory to claim and I intend to have it all. If there is anything else that I should know, you can contact me at the number that I will provide for you in the private chat. I expect your answer by morning. Ta-ta!"

With that parting, the screen suddenly went black and Akihito was startled at how abruptly the conversation had ended. He quickly looked to Asami for some kind of answer to the madness that the other man had been spouting because he had no clue what the man had been talking about!

Asami remained silent for a moment before he walked away from the view of the camera and finally spoke, "Kirishima, find the exact coordinates of the location in Italy and have them ready by morning. They won't be handed over until a meet up has been decided."

"Yes, Asami-sama." Kirishima quickly walked over to one of the computers and began typing furiously across the key board and Suoh immediately had his cell to his ear, already gathering a team to be on stand-by to head out at a moments notice.

Akihito couldn't take it any more and made his way over to Asami as the older man stood in front of the floor to ceiling windows that looked out over the city of New York. Once he was beside him, he placed a hand on his upper arm and gained his attention. Asami looked into Akihito's worried eyes before turning to him and wrapping him in his arms, pulling him close to himself.

Akihito allowed himself to be buried in his lovers arms and leeched on the warmth and comfort that he offered, They remained that way for a while before Akihito finally broke the silence, "You're not even thinking about it. You're going to give in and do as he asks."

"Of course," Asami answered. "For you or Ryu, I would give up everything if given the choice. You

two are all I will ever need."

Akihito could feel tears burning his eyes and he held them in as best as he could, "You know, if someone had told me from the very start that we would ever feel this way for each other and that we would have a family, I probably would have taken your gun and planted a bullet right between their eyes."

Akihito quietly laughed at Akihito's words because he had no doubt that Akihito would have done just that and he would've gladly watched. Holding him just a little tighter, Asami gave Akihito a kiss to his temple before burring his nose into his blonde locks, taking in the scent of his one true love.

They remained that way until finally Akihito pulled back and looked into Asami's eyes. Asami could already tell what Akihito was going to ask, but waited for him to speak. When he finally did, it was with a tone that clearly said, no-beating-around-the-bush.

"Asami, what was Dorenzo talking about? What is it that you have found in Italy that he would do this and demand a location? What is in Italy?"

Asami looked into blazing hazel eyes and knew that it would be no use to try to deter Akihito from finding out whether it be from him or some other source. with a sigh, Asami spoke, "After the French mob disbanded, they went under ground and many of their old properties were either sold or completely abandoned. As I had began to move in on Europe. I started going south and eventually began to expand into Italy. Despite it not being apart of France, the French mob had control of a majority of the country's underground.

"We later discovered that the mob had had a personal outpost up in the mountains and we decided to check out it's condition. When my men arrived, it seemed that it was just another villa, but as things were looked into, they noticed that the villa itself was very bare and looked to have been unlived in for longer that the French had been disbanded. At first it was assumed that the property had either been pilfered or liquidated of it valuables to sell off as the mob had hit on hard times.

"But it was as the men were checking out the property that they noticed a road behind the villa that had looked well worn despite the villa's dilapidated state. When my men followed the road, it led deeper into the mountains by a few miles and before they knew it, they came across an old mine."

Akihito once again looked confuse, "A mine? Why would the French mob be mining on one of its properties like that?"

"That is what I had my men find out. After looking into the rock formation and even some of the equipment left behind, we realized what it was they were mining."

"What were they digging up?"

"... Diamonds. The French had found a diamond mine."