Sunset Hue

by Syrlai

When Tsuna was twelve, he ran into a pole in the middle of the night, knocking himself out. There, he met a girl named Mia that just moved in. He was a loser and she was weird. But somehow, they brought out the best and worst in each other. Friends, lovers or partners - Mafia or not, nothing was going to change that. [TsunaxOC] [AU covering Kokuyo and Varia Arc from canon]

50. The Hitmen

Hi Readers! Hope you guys are staying home, safe and healthy.

This chapter is quite long. It definitely has content worth 4-5 chapters and its my longest yet. 17k? Yikes. Now there are a bunch of themes going on here so I apologize if it feels muddy. I usually write down what I want to see in a chapter, my goal for it, then build it from there but it kind of went out of hand. Literally.

Thanks for the lovely reviews for the previous chapter guys:

Xmidniteangel15X - You may not be part of my country, but wherever you are, thank you so much for your service. I don't know if anyone has told you that already, but thank you. I'm glad you're keeping in touch. I hope for these stressful times, that my story can bring something for you. A brief distraction maybe, a laugh or two even. I'm not gonna spoil anything but you make a good point with Nonnino :)

P - I'm not much of a fan of Frozen but I have seen the movies. I didn't even know they cut out a song! I listened to it and could help but laugh at how cute it was. It's too bad they cut it out. I loved Kristoff's solo but I feel that this song brought more chemistry between them. I can totally see Tsuna and Mia vibing to this tho. Thanks for sharing!

SlyFanatic - My mom loves Tuo Amore, its a really lovely song that I think would be great to listen to for their older years. Thanks!

Alexia Colette - *wink*

Heartdiamong - my Spanish sucks, luckily Google translate is here! I'm really glad you've enjoyed my story :)

Vi - Hi Vi, thank you for finding my story as well and I'm really glad you liked Mia. I know some people don't like her for her flaws but I really appreciate that you do, as well as sharing what this story meant to you. I felt that too, sometime around last year. Before I went back to writing. Honestly, I'm still lost sometimes but like you, I've found small things to take comfort with. To smile with. Such as writing this story and hearing you guys share your thoughts with me. And no, you don't sound like a crazy fangirl at all :)

Disclaimer: I don't own KHR

---

"Lil me wasn't wrong when she said the cops were close. Gonna need to move fast." Older Mia looked up, surveying the rooftops of the surrounding warehouses.

"Escape to the roof?" Tsuna guessed.

"Nope," she replied. "Looking for the prick that brought me here." Her gaze trailed down to her feet. "And I know just how to bring him out." She bent down and motioned grabbing something. Spreading her feet, she tightened her grip and yanked. Tsuna felt his Intuition prick, his flames beneath his skin pulsing. Fwoooosh! Hot air breathed into their faces, forcing them to shield their eyes. Like summoning a demon from hell, Mia literally pulled a person out of thin air.

They landed hard before her feet, coughing and gasping.

Tsuna recognized the hair and eyes. "You!"

"Gwah! That's the weird guy that asked for Lambo-san's help!" The cow yelped.

The fox didn't seem to have heard them, too busy regaining his ability to breathe.

"Not so nice is it?" Older Mia asked and roughly pushed the fox on his back with her foot. He groaned. Tsuna was strongly reminded of Reborn. He could almost feel the weight of her foot as much as he did the hitman's.

"Whoaaa! How did you do that Matteis?" Onii-san asked. "An extreme bunny pulling out of the hat trick?"

Mia snorted. "Something like that." She stepped on the fox, her three-inch heels digging into his sternum. Ian gasped.

"Bloody hell woman!"

"Hi to you too Ian," Mia replied candidly, as if she was greeting a colleague at the park. "We've got less than ten minutes to lead the police away. I need your help."

"And why the hell should I - "

She grounded her heel, cutting him off to a pained growl. "I wasn't asking," she said, her tone leaving no room for argument. "I'd remember your orders if I were you." Mia warned him before releasing him, taking a step back.

"My lady - " Hayato shook his head to get rid of the shock. "Um - how - what?"

"Young me will explain why he's here, until then, questions later."

The fox slowly got up, his clothes ruffled and dirty. His glare was so intense, it could have melted metal. Mia was unfazed, gazing coolly back at him as if she was used to the death glares. Tsuna couldn't help his own glare forming as he came to stand beside her. His friends circling the fox, with their own withering expressions.

"I'm going to tell you now Tsuna not to frown so much. You're too cute for that," Mia teased him without looking. "And you'll get wrinkles early. You should listen - would have saved your older self some lines."

"No I won't," he muttered without missing a beat.

The fox glanced at them wearily, the anger in them receding but not totally leaving his eyes. "You didn't need to do that you witch," he hissed. "It's not like I asked to bring you here."

"And yet here I am," she smoothly replied. "Huh, have you always been a miserable dick?"

"Just what is it you want?" The fox asked her.

"I need a badge, higher rank, national scale. Interpol should do. I was thinking Milly Marchetti."

The fox frowned as he rubbed his chest. He glanced at Chrome. "You have your own illusionist, you don't need me."

"I'm... Not good enough Mia-san?" Chrome spoke up, her lone eye wide.

Mia shook her head. "That's not it at all. Don't listen to him Chrome, I'm only asking because I know what he can do. Getting past legalities, and detailed fraud is what he's good at." She took a step closer but the fox didn't back down. They stood on equal height while the rest of them held their weapons, ready to strike him down at a moment's notice should he even move. Tsuna was thinking of slamming him on the concrete if he so much as twitched.

"I'm not in the mood to play mind games, I know what you can do and what you know. I'm not going to ask again."

He looked at her up and down. "Are you threatening me?" He scoffed.

Mia kept her smile and tapped her brooch. "And if I am, what of it? Go ahead, deviate. Have your fun and see where it brings you." She openly goaded him. The color slightly drained from his skin but his eyes flared. Ian looked like he was going to snap but clicked his tongue instead.

He reached into his pocket. They tensed but he only pulled out a blue badge. "I hate this job," he spat. The badge flipped between his fingers, turning black. He handed it to her. "There, your ID card and badge. Well, aren't you going to check it?"

"No." She strode past him. "Doing a shoddy job isn't your work ethic."

And just like that she sashayed her way to a bunch of police boats that were looming close to the docks, leaving the fox and the rest of them, gaping at her. "Chrome, think you can hide everyone in an illusion?"

"Y-Yes." Chrome fumbled with her trident.

"Do it," Mia instructed, never taking her eyes off from the approaching police force. "Some are on foot but they went around. Better do it now than later."

Tsuna couldn't stop staring. The way she wove her words, the confidence in her gait, the commanding presence reminiscent of her grandfather's... this is who she is in ten years? He wondered how the rest of them were like. She was really relaxed with them so it must mean they were all still together hopefully. Maybe he and her were - he blushed like a teenage girl.

"Odd, she's not wearing a ring like I thought she would," the fox commented thoughtfully. "Huh, twenty-five and not yet married. Did things fall apart between you two?"

Several glares were directed at the fox, while Tsuna turned into marble.

The fox went on. "Looking at you two - disgusting as it is - I thought it might end like a generic romance story. And so the prince falls in love with his maid, a young girl tormented by her past and yada yada yada, they lived happily ever after."

"That's it!" Hayato exploded and would have shoved several sticks of dynamite in Ian's mouth if Takeshi hadn't held him back, his own smile strained. "Let me go already baseball nut! I'm going to - " He shouted so many expletives in both Japanese and Italian that it would have made Squalo blush.

"Extremely too graphic!" Ryohei cried, covering Lambo's ears.

"I'm simply stating the obvious," Ian drawled loudly. "A lot can happen in ten years. But that's just my conjecture, no need to get so hung up on it."

"If... If I wasn't projecting an illusion already I would have stabbed you." As if she was channeling Mukuro in that moment, Chrome glared at him through the shadows of her bangs. A sinister aura spilling from her usual shy form like dark tentacles.

Ian took a step away from her, not too far in order to sustain his own illusion, but enough so that her aura wouldn't unsettle him anymore. "Feels like I've stepped into a horror movie," he muttered.

"Hey." The fox looked. Takeshi's smile was cheery as ever, but his eyes held a warning. Even over Hayato's insults, the rain's gaze held a painful promise if he ever uttered another word about his friends. "Ya mind keeping to yourself for a bit? We don't care what you think."

"Ian," Older Mia quietly called. They all turned to her, except for Tsuna. He seemed to be in a state of shock if his blank eyes were anything to go by. Mia didn't face them as the police were close but from her stance with one hand to her hip, she didn't appear to be worried in the least.

"Remember that you're speaking with the Guardians of the Tenth Generation. Should any of their older counterparts be summoned to this time - well you better pray to god they don't. Right Lambo?"

"Hai!" Lambo whacked the back Ian's knees with his bazooka. "Don't you say mean things about Tsuna-nii you jerk!"

The fox dropped to his knees with a loud curse. Luckily, it had been muffled by Chrome's illusion just as several officers scattered through the port, their guns pointed at Mia.

She didn't flinch, her hands raised and palms open. "Stand down!" she barked, her Italian harsh and commanding. "I'm special agent Marchetti, sent by Interpol and where the hell have you people been? Where is your commanding officer?"

Taken aback, they lowered their guns as they looked to each other in confusion. "Every second counts! I've got a case for missing Japanese students abducted back in Milan. Me and my partner have been tracking them for days now - do not make me ask again. Where. Is. Your. Commanding officer?" A policeman approached her but she flipped her badge in his face.

She didn't give them a chance to respond, let alone think. As if her words held some kind of magic, it spurned the energy around them, drawing their attention and weaving her story into reality as it sunk in. The urgency and the frustration in her tone and body made them feel like they were watching a thrilling cop movie.

"The suspects are Italian. Unknown if unrelated to the Mafia but they turned hostile and started shooting. Fourteen but not sure if that's all of them."

It even slightly drew Tsuna from his shell-shock. Reality was her stage and the storm she wove was as turbulent as the story she played in. Their attention was captured, their focus shifted. The fox clicked his mouth again. "She's fucking good," he couldn't help but admit. The officers swarmed past them cautiously, under her orders and combing the area.

"I lost my gun back there and I wasn't sure if my partner managed to call for backup - sorry, I thought you guys were it but I'm glad you're all here. You have a radio?" While she kept an officer busy, running him around in a verbal circle that left them reeling from all the jargon she was spilling, her hand moved behind her back.

"Hmm?" Ian perked up. "We should move. She's switching back in a few minutes. By then we gotta be on a boat and out of here." He got back on his feet.

"How the hell did you know?" Hayato asked him.

"Hand signals," the fox explained. They edged closer.

"What about Hibari?" Ryohei whispered. As if Mia read their mind, she gestured again.

First a single digit. "One." Ian read. A sharp direct gesture. "One of you should go in. Get them out. One minute."

"I'll go," Takeshi volunteered. They inched closer to the door, careful not to step out of Chrome's illusion despite her assurances that it was fine and that she could cover a lot of ground.

"Better safe than sorry," Takeshi reasoned with a grin. "I'll see you guys out through storage." He then slipped inside and to anyone else, the space they were standing on was completely empty and the door hadn't moved.

Mia started walking and they did too, with all the stealth of a cardboard box. Tsuna had to be picked up by the boxer and carried like a life-sized cut out of himself.

"Stop pushing!" Ian hissed.

"Then move faster you prick!" Hayato hissed back.

They moved with her shadow until they could reach the edge by the water. At that point, the officer she had been speaking with pointed at one of the patrol boats and went away when one if his colleagues called for him.

She didn't look at them when she turned around, but she muttered, "This way." They followed her. "Ian, go and pick up Takeshi. Meet with us at the boat."

"You're sure you won't need the badge?" She tossed it over her shoulder and the fox caught it, surprised.

"I've got less than five minutes to get you all out of here. CEDEF can't come near with the police so close so you'll have to get back to the mainland first."

"What about your dad?" Ryohei asked her.

She came to an abrupt stop. They nearly ran into her and Tsuna finally regained his ability to think.

"Pa is... here?" For once, a dent in her composure appeared but it only lasted for a second. "Right, can't be helped. Doesn't matter, just go Ian." She resumed walking. For once the fox didn't argue but quietly slipped away. One second he was there and suddenly he wasn't.

"What an extremely unpleasant guy," Ryohei commented, unnerved. Lambo nodded alongside him while Hayato muttered a few choice words under his breath. Chrome puffed her cheeks, a bit put out at the other illusionist.

"Unpleasant he may be but not the worst to work with," Mia said. She hopped into the boat and went straight into the cockpit. They looked to each other apprehensively and jumped when she tossed out a radio over the side of the boat. It looked like it could only fit four or five at the most but they were nine.

"My Lady, can we really go on this?" Hayato asked her while beside him, Ryohei patted life into Tsuna's cheeks.

"No choice - you can only get by boat around here. It'll be a tight squeeze but I'm sure you'll all fit, don't worry." The boat growled to life. "Keep your illusion strong Chrome, it'll be your ticket out of here."

"Hai!" The young girl replied, eager to prove herself useful.

Mia came out of the cockpit. "How much do you know about boats Hayato?" she asked.

The bomber flushed at being addressed. Flustered, he stammered a reply, "A lot! I know a lot!"

The blonde hummed knowingly. "Well you better use that 'lot' to drive the boat back to main. You should get inside and familiarize yourself."

"Y-Yes!" With her help, he stepped in. Next Chrome, then Lambo and then Ryohei.

"I'll handle Tsuna," she told the boxer. Climbing back up on the dock and turning to the brunette, she crossed her arms. "You shouldn't let what Ian said get to you. He likes getting under people's skin. I would have thought you'd know that at this point in time."

Tsuna didn't meet her eyes, not sure what to say. Now that he thought about it, he was being stupid again. Did it matter at all? He felt her fingers slide under his chin, gently pulling him to look at her. Once again, his breath was stolen. This Mia was older, more confident and deadlier than the girl he knew but her eyes were still the same. Looking into them, he couldn't help but sizzle under her gaze.

"Don't worry about the future," she told him softly. "Because it'll be something that you decide for."

He swallowed. "O-Okay."

She was right. But he couldn't stop his mind from wandering...

Mia suddenly pinched his cheek. "Ohhh I really am going to miss this!" Her serious demeanor faded as she pulled him close and started rubbing her cheek against his. "If only you could have stayed this cute!"

"W-W-Wait Mia! Stop! Stop!" Tsuna struggled against her as she cuddled him in front of their friends, his skin turning several shades of red.

"I have less than a few minutes left here and if you think I'm not gonna spend it embarrassing you then you're sorely mistaken!" Mia declared. "You're always stuck with paperwork nowadays, let me have this!"

What did she mean by that last part? But because he was such sucker for her whims, he let her pat and pinch him, all the while enduring the snickers that the boxer and Lambo couldn't hold back. With a giggle, she finally released him. The young boss staggered out of her reach and before he could exact any sort of retribution, she cupped his face with both her hands. "It won't be long before I switch back," she told him. "And this might not seem wise but what comes after, please don't be too mad at younger me okay?"

"W-Wha - Why would I be mad at you?"

She giggled. "Since when did you not get mad at me?" He could literally just stand there until the the cops arrested him. Cute. Way too cute. Her hands fell to her sides. "One last thing - don't let Lambo summon me again okay? I was lucky I was just in my room but if I was on the field when I switched, young me could have gotten hurt and I don't need to explain why right? That goes for the rest of you."

"Got it." He swallowed. "Um... Mia... are we okay? In the future?"

She flicked his ear. "I just told you not to worry about it!" she scolded him. And that wasn't a straight answer!

"But - "

"Don't use the bazooka!" she reminded one last time before she exploded into pink smoke.

"Already?" he wondered before getting slapped in the arm.

"Tsuna you jackass!" His Mia was back and she was mad.

"What did I do?" he squeaked, holding his arm.

"What did you do? You little - " before she could finish her sentence, Takeshi came sprinting towards their direction, her Papa's bag slung haphazardly over his shoulder. Hibari behind him with Nicolas unconscious and draped over his shoulder like a sack.

"Pa?!"

"Takeshi?"

"We gotta go!" Takeshi cried just as angry shouting filled the air. The others quickly filled in to make space.

"We've been running all day! Can't things wait for us for once?" Tsuna whined but hopped down into the boat. Unlike her boyfriend, Mia went with it and boarded without asking what was going on during the ten minutes she was gone. Takeshi jumped in, followed by Hibari. The boat rocked dangerously at the sudden weight.

"Where's the fox?" Hayato called from inside the cockpit. Mia jerked.

"Ian's here?"

"Playing decoy, he said to go ahead!" Takeshi said.

"Move it herbivores," Hibari commanded in a growl, dropping Nicolas into Ryohei's waiting arms.

"Shut it!" Hayato snapped back. Ryohei was still securing the professor when the boat suddenly lurched forwards and they all grabbed on the railings. "Chrome the illusion!"

"It's up!" Chrome confirmed, from the seat beside Hayato.

The boat strained under their weight as it pushed onward. They weren't that far when sirens started blaring up again and several boats came alarmingly close but so far Chrome's illusion had prevented them from being noticed. Tsuna looked to his Mist through the glass. She was gripping her staff so tight, he could see the nerves under her pale skin. A police boat brushed by them and Hayato turned the engine off. They held their breath until they were safely out of its radar.

Tsuna bit the inside of his cheek. He didn't know how long she would last at this rate and if Chrome gave out before they made it, the police would find them. Mia was huddled by the entrance to the cockpit, hunched over her father with his head on her lap, doing her best so that Nicolas would bump his head. Takeshi held firm and Hibari looked like he was at his social tolerance.

What can they do? What can he do?

If only they could build rockets on the boat or something... wait. What? It was stupid, so absurd he felt like kicking himself but... it just might work. God knows how absurd his life was, how crazy his friends were. It wouldn't hurt if he took part in that every now and then right?

"Tsuna, what are you doing?" Takeshi asked him as he slipped his mittens on.

He swallowed two pills. "Getting us out of here," he answered before bracing one leg against the stern. He positioned himself with his palms wide open. "Better hold on!" He warned before blasting them into neck-breaking speed, probably reaching farther than the fastest speedboat today.

"If you don't slow it down Tsuna we're gonna run into a building!" Mia shrilled behind him.

"We're gonna run into one!" Lambo shrieked. At his youngest guardian's cry, the flames spluttered to an end but it was too late.

"Turn right! Turn right octopus-head!" he could hear Onii-san panicking.

"I'm trying!"

Gritting his teeth, he pointed to the left then and blasted them to take a sharp right. "How's that?" He shouted amidst all the water spraying into his face.

"You're doing great honey now make us turn left!" Mia yelled back.

"Not in the mood for teasing Mia!" But he obliged anyways.

By the end of it he had it down to a T. He kept it up until his arms shook from the strain of propelling them in speeds this boat was not meant for. Hayato had steered them some ways away from where they stopped to go to Venice and headed south. They docked at a different town, alongside lines of several other boats and in a spot where a stolen police boat won't be noticed right away. While his little idea brought them out of reach of the cops, it left several of his Guardians with motion sickness and Hayato's fingers permanently welded to the wheel. He was the first to get out, his sneakers squelching as he stood on solid ground.

"Sorry guys," he apologized as they got out one by one. Mia came to his side, holding Lambo.

"No... you did good. It was a great idea Tsuna." She wrapped one arm around his waist. "It could use some work but your coordination was great."

His flame fizzled out and he couldn't resist sagging against her just a little bit. "Mia, I'm soaking wet," he murmured but didn't pull away, exhausted.

"You're warm," she kissed his cheek. He sighed into her hair. She was too.

He would have loved to have stayed in that moment but he could feel Hibari glaring spears into his back. The prefect was still carrying Nicolas. Best not to tempt fate. "Let's find someplace to stay," he said. "Any ideas?"

"I have a place in mind Tenth," Hayato spoke up after coming out last. His hands were still shaking but he looked really happy he was on solid ground again. "Its near."

Mia nodded at him. "Okay, lead the way."

---

Hayato had led them to an old worn out bar in the back alley streets, owned by a gruff and tempered old man who barked and cursed at them the moment they stepped foot into his establishment but with a quick word from their friend, let them use a room on top of the bar that had nothing but a single bed inside, a table, two chairs and a dresser. He didn't ask them any questions but said if they made any noise, he'd blow their brains out with the shotgun hidden underneath the bar.

"How do you know about this Hayato?" he had asked as his friend led them up a misshapen wooden staircase.

Hayato didn't look when he replied, "I got around before I met you Tenth. I knew the old man from a job I was doing for the Famiglia around here."

Concern rose. Tsuna met Hayato when he was fourteen. How old had his friend been doing 'work'? His storm didn't say anything anymore and he didn't push it. He had gotten a sense that his friend didn't want to talk anymore about it.

There they got the chance to rest, eat and even change into new clothes that Hayato had procured from somewhere. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. At that point, night had fallen and the bar was in full swing. Even while he was in the bathroom, Tsuna could smell the alcohol wafting from underneath the door, the smell so strong you would have think the building had been steeped in it for a century.

"Tenth." Tsuna had just come out of the bathroom after changing his clothes when his friend approached.

"Hayato? Are you going somewhere?" Hayato had tied his hair back. He usually did that when he was getting ready to do something.

"Yeah. I'm gonna help with the old man downstairs. As thanks for letting us stay the night."

"Oh, I'll help too," Tsuna said but was stopped. Hayato shook his head, smiling.

"It's okay Tenth, I can handle it. Besides, the old fart doesn't trust a lot of people. He knows me, so he'd probably let me help out a little."

"But..." Tsuna couldn't help but protest.

Hayato didn't mind however. "It's fine Tenth," he assured him. "I don't mind. I'm your right-hand after all! You can depend on me."

Not having the heart to argue, Tsuna gave in. "T-Then I'm counting on you."

"Hai!" Tsuna watched as his friend enthusiastically trudged down the stairs before heading back to the room.

Like in the bathroom, the smell of alcohol was also present in the room. Some of his friends seemed as bothered as he was by the smell except for Hibari and Chrome. Mostly because the prefect had taken nest on the roof and Chrome was passed out on the table, her head buried in her arms. As for Nicolas... the man was still out cold. Knocked out by the prefect when he had been stubborn and most probably would be out for several more hours. Mia hadn't been happy at all but was too tired to chew him out for it just yet. The professor was occupying the lone bed with Lambo tucked to his side, leaving the rest of them to take the floor. Onii-san had already gone ahead with that and was snoring near the dresser, splayed out as if he was in his own bed and not on the floor.

Takeshi was sitting beside the door when he entered, holding his sword to his chest and nodding off. Closing the door silently behind him, he tiptoed his way to a dark corner where the single light in the room couldn't reach. Mia was sitting there, already changed and her knees pulled to her chest, lost in thought. He took his place beside her.

"Hey," he murmured.

"Hello," she greeted him distantly. She was wearing tattered overalls and a grey shirt with a faded yellow smiley face on it.

"Aren't you going to sleep yet?"

"I don't want to," she replied. He forced one eyelid open. Mia was picking at the threads of her overalls, thinking deeply.

"Mia..."

"I don't want to burn this place to the ground."

He didn't know how she could stay awake. He was so tired he could just blink and be out for eight hours but he didn't. Instead, he planted his head on her shoulder. "Mia..." he whined. "I'm here, don't worry. You can sleeeep..." he slurred.

"Okay, okay." She settled with him on the floor, using her dress and his jacket as makeshift pillows. "What are you doing Tsuna?" He was trying to coax her to sleep by stroking her hair, but he ended up pawing her face instead. He heard her laugh a bit and smiled, his eyes slipping to a close. Something warm and soft pressed against his mouth.

"Buenna notte."

---

Mia couldn't sleep.

After making sure that Tsuna was completely out, she stepped out of the room. Hitmen and Order business by day and nightmares at night. If she had to choose, she'd rather stay awake for the remainder of this trip. Not that it was hard to do. Her insomnia was making a comeback. Leaning over the rail, she dropped her head in her arms. God, so much had happened today it felt like a week went by. Ian had delivered her first order, her father found out about the mafia, she broke down in front of her friends and she traveled ten years into the future.

"Well that's one thing to cross out of the bucket list."

When the pink smoke had cleared she found herself in a bedroom, with high walls, carpeted floor and a king sized four poster bed. The one thing that was out of place in the extravagant room asides from her dirty self were the assortment of weaponry neatly on the bed. What the heck was her older self doing in ten years? She thought as she picked up a shotgun, examining the barrel. Some of the guns had been taken apart. Was her older self cleaning them? Placing the gun back on the bed she looked around. There were no pictures or anything personal. A hotel?

There were notes on a table nearby. She looked those over. Research papers. Something about crystals? There was a journal too. Recognizing her handwriting on the first page she flipped through it. Notes and they were all about crystals. Concentrated... flames? Was this really hers? The noting was all disorganized and some of it was written in a language she didn't recognize. Trying to decode whatever her older self had written would take weeks from the looks of it. Time that she didn't have. As interesting as it was, it was something that she would be researching in the future. She didn't really need to worry about it at the moment. She went to look around.

Feeling something got caught in her shoe, she looked down. Some kind of black cloth? She froze.

A lacy black thong.

She threw it out of her sight without another thought. Didn't want to think of herself just leaving her underwear out in the open. Really, how could she let herself do that?

"Mia?" She heard a voice through the door. It was deep and rich, a voice she hadn't yet heard but it made her toes curl in and her heart race. The door jingled and she jumped. "Mia?" the voice called again. "Are you okay? Look, if its about last night I'm sorry."

Was that Tsuna? Her mind blanked out.

"Mia are you okay?" The voice was getting concerned now.

Answer him! She shut her eyes. "I-I'm okay!" she said loudly.

"What's up with your voice?"

"I have a cold." She faked a cough. "D-Don't come in!" she cried when the door jingled again.

"Well I'm definitely worried now!" Then he started kicking it. Why the hell was he overreacting!?

"Stop! I'm getting dressed!" Mia cried.

"All the more reason to come in!" He boldly declared, not the least bit ashamed of wanting to see her, regardless if she was dressed or not.

Her heart went overdrive. If that was really Tsuna - when did he get so forward? She dived underneath the bed. The door's lock gave away and she flinched as the knob landed near the bed. Black, leather Italian shoes filled her view. She scooted back.

"Where is she?"

Go away, please. Ten minutes right? She can definitely hold out for that long. Maybe five had already passed.

"What the - what is this?! Preparing for a zombie invasion?! Just when I told her she can't go out?" She heard him say, exasperated. Seems like he found the guns. It was such a Tsuna-thing to say. She stifled a giggle. Some things just don't change huh? Wait, did it just get quiet? Wait, where did the shoes go? She strained her eyes and held her breath. How could she have not notice him disappear?

Two strong hands suddenly grasped her around the middle and tried to pull her out. "Gotcha!"

Her flight response triggered and she kicked him, forcing him to let go. "Ow!"

Scrambling out of the other side of the bed, she made a mad dash out of the door and into a long gilded hall. If it really was Tsuna, why was she running from him? Her Tsuna hadn't finished going through puberty yet so she wasn't used to the deep voice that made her feel all kinds of weird. It kind of frightened her. She weaved in and out of people that worked there.

Ugh, she was getting spooked a lot today. Put yourself together Mia!

"MIA!" she heard a roar behind her. She pushed her legs to go faster, unable to stop the whimper that came out of her. She had already lost to her Tsuna once today, she didn't think she could handle a second interrogation with his older self.

She took a sharp turn and nearly fell down a staircase if someone hadn't caught her. Her back connected with something strong and warm. "Now," the voice breathed down her neck, "have you gotten... uh... shorter?" Mia couldn't reply. Too busy rebooting her brain as one of his hands was on her waist and the other on her chest. They were bigger from what she remembered but she'd know that ring anywhere. There was only one like it after all.

"Did your chest also get sm - " She never let him finished that.

Her hand shot out from underneath, snapping his jaw shut. She was going to rip him a new one but just as she glimpsed his face, she switched back in a burst of pink smoke. But it had been enough.

Just recalling the damn memory made her groan out loud. It was so embarrassing she had to grasp the wooden railing for support, trying not to melt on the spot. To jump from their level of intimacy at the warehouse to that... lord give her strength to even stand. Push it down. Push it waaaaaay dooooown.

"My Lady?" She jumped. Hayato was looking up at her from the stairs. "Is everything alright?"

She pushed herself up. "Yeah. I'm okay." Hayato was wearing a stained apron. "C-Can I help out? I can't sleep."

"Uh..." Hayato glanced downstairs. From where they were they could hear talks from drunk men. "I don't think that would be a good idea, the old fart is a bit of a bastard - so is everyone in there - and you're..." he trailed off, his cheeks turning pink.

"I'm?" She pressed.

Hayato shifted uncomfortably, his eyes not meeting hers. "You're a lady. A beautiful one." It didn't sound like a compliment however.

A sliver of disgust suddenly ran up her spine at the thought of being in there, instantly regretting asking him. Mia breathed lowly as her grip on the rail tightened and her feet felt cold. The thought hadn't occurred to her at all.

She cleared her throat. "Thanks for the warning Hayato." She went around the stairs. "Would it be okay if I stepped out for bit? Just wanted some fresh air."

"Of course," Hayato said. He led her out the backdoor. The air was cool in the narrow alley but it was kind of ruined by the overflowing trashcan. Mia didn't complain. She sat down on the steps and after a bit of hesitation, Hayato did as well.

"So... you smoke?" She started.

Hayato coughed. "Um... not as often since when the Professor caught me." Professor. They seemed to have taken a liking to calling her Papa that.

"How long ago was this?"

"When he visited during Christmas. Caught me behind the building. I'm sorry my Lady," Hayato hung his head. "I know its not a good habit to have."

"How come I never saw you smoke though?"

Hayato rubbed his head and looked away, embarrassed. He hid in his arms when she leaned closer. "You were always so strict and proper... I didn't want you to yell at me."

"C-Come on, I'm not that scary am I?"

The look he gave her through his arms told her just how scary she was. Her eyebrow twitched. "A few weeks ago you caught some punks smoking in the storage room. There was a rumor that they were never seen again."

Well that was an exaggeration. Hibari had left some very strict guidelines when she took up the position. Its either she handled it her way or in his words, 'bite them to death'. Obviously she went with the first. First she dug up information about them, families, former classmates and even the school they came from. Since none of them had some tragic backstory that got them into the habit she went ahead with blackmailing by leaving little notes left here and there, spreading rumors that made their reputation take a nose-dive, having them followed at night until they were paranoid, slipped questionable stuff in their drinks and planting a plate of Bianchi's food in their hideout, leaving them sick for hours after breathing it in.

What was it that Nonnino said again? Something about hitting them where it hurts? Something like that.

Being called to the Disciplinary Committee's office was the breaking point. Just mentioning Hibari made their fear skyrocket and when she asked them nicely to stop smoking on school premises, they willingly complied.

Sure it took a week to do but it worked right? Best part being no one was sent to the hospital. Not like she was going to tell him that. Mia smiled. "You're giving me too much credit. They still went to class and I only asked them to stop doing it at school."

Hayato doubted her. "So you don't mind my Lady?"

Mia rubbed her fingers. "No," she answered. "People sometimes turn to drinking or smoking to cope with something." She knew that very well. It wasn't something that she agreed with but understood. "How old were you when you started?"

"Twelve."

Mia tried to keep her expression neutral but failed. Rather than getting disheartened, Hayato laughed. Honest and light. A sound that she didn't hear often from her friend. Hayato sounded more like a normal teenager when he laughed like that.

"Okay, you got me. Wow, twelve." Jesus Hayato. "Just... try not to give yourself cancer alright?"

He looked down at her, his usual sharp features softtening. "I don't smoke that much anymore. I used to - its how I lit my bombs - but nowadays, I use this." He lifted his shirt and showed his belt buckle with a skull design. Only, it wasn't really a buckle. As she took a closer look at it, the eye sockets had rings in them. Similar to how a lighter was in a car.

"How do you turn it on?" Mia asked as she bent down to get a better look.

Hayato pushed her away by the shoulders, flustered. "My lady please! You're getting too close!"

"You can't show me something like that and not expect me to be curious!"

Meow! Mia paused and looked around. A black cat watching them with green judgmental eyes. Ever since Tokyo, she had been wearier of cats. She pulled back, feeling self-conscious, suddenly aware on how they looked from a different perspective. Goddamnit, if anyone else had walked in on them they might have misunderstood. Pull yourself together Mia!

"Look," Hayato pointed out, completely oblivious. "It brought something."

The cat had brought something wrapped in dark cloth. Recognizing the symbol etched on its collar, she picked it up and unwrapped it.

A whole stack of cash dropped out and that was only half of it. "Holy shit," she breathed, her eyes going wide. It probably amounted a thousand Euro or more. Hayato was making choking noises behind her but she didn't care, noticing a slip of paper under the other stack she was holding. It read in the same perfect cursive:

To the Skyling, enclosed is your funding. Spend wisely.

"Skyling?" Hayato read over her shoulder. "Is this some kind of mistake?"

Mia wasn't listening. So the Order funded their members? Glad to know she wasn't left completely with nothing. Bet Ian left that out rather conveniently, that bastard. This was a lot of money, too much for herself if she was being honest but maybe she wasn't meant to go alone. Suddenly Tsuna's insistence to stay together no matter what, was tempting. Her hands shook a bit at the thought of entering the monastery alone. If they could just come with her half-way...

"It's not a mistake," Mia said. "Thank you." The cat looked at her, it's slits widening into a full circle. Mia had to fight the awww that was threatening to burst out of her chest. It rubbed itself against her legs, purring before setting its tail high and walking away without another glance.

"My lady don't!" Hayato started shaking her by the shoulders. "It's been delivered by a black cat! It may be cursed!"

"I think I'm pretty cursed as it is. Add some broken mirrors and I'll be golden," Mia joked.

"My ladyyyy!" Hayato seriously looked like he was afraid for her and was a second away from busting out the prayer beads. For some reason or another, despite having the highest marks at their school, Hayato deeply believed in the supernatural and was a fan of aliens. She sighed and gently pried his hands off.

"Kidding, kidding. But seriously, its not cursed." She picked the money up and hid it deep in her pockets. Sleep was not going to come to her tonight. Not if she can help it. With the money the Order had provided her, she had more options. "There's something I want to talk about with you guys but when everyone is awake."

---

Hayato spent the entire night, fretting over his Lady.

She refused to sleep when he asked her but considered staying near the Tenth's side. There she stayed until the sun rose up, with her eyes closed and hardly moving. Her breaths were even but no matter how serene she looked, Hayato knew she was awake. They've seen her like this a few times before and it always left them a bit unsettled. When she was in that kind of mood, it was best to leave her alone.

As for him, he helped out at the bar the entire night. Rather than paying it off, he insisted to work. It's been several years now since he was last here and the old man was still the same drunk bastard. He wasn't fond of him and so was the old man. Few words were exchanged and the work was simple enough. The bar was just a temporary place to stay in whenever he was in the area, courtesy of the Famiglia that ran it. He wasn't the first mafioso to be here and he certainly won't be the last. He almost forgot how disgusting the place was until the Lady asked if she could help.

Women did come to this bar but they weren't like his Lady. The things they came for, the things they did... the people that came here were used to taking what they want without a single thought. He wouldn't expect the living trash to keep their hands to themselves if they saw her, alone.

It was better this way, even if it was detrimental to her health. Hayato just wished she would sleep a bit.

When morning came and he went up to catch a few minutes for himself, she was gone. "My Lady?" Panicked, he searched the room in the frenzy. Did she go out or did someone come in here? The Tenth let out a low snore then turned on his side, drool dripping from the corner of his mouth. Impossible! The Tenth would have raised hell first!

"Hayato?"

The Lady stood in the doorway, a paper bag held with one arm, a plastic one hanging on the other and was holding a cup of brewed coffee. She took a sip. "I brought breakfast."

The smell of freshly baked bread roused some of them awake. Asides from that, she also laid out sandwiches, apples, paper cups and a carton of juice which was also apple on the table.

"My Lady I could have gone with you!"

"You worked hard last night, consider it as my thanks." She grinned as she tied her hair up into a loose pony tail.

That wasn't fair at all. His face heating up, he took the other seat and grabbed an apple. Chrome woke up and started nibbling a sandwich.

"You should come and extremely eat with us too Hibari!" Ryohei called out the window.

"He's not gonna come in Senpai, here," The lady handed him a cup of juice and a sandwich. "Just give these out to him or leave it by the window."

"Is he some kind of wild animal?" Ryohei asked himself but did as he was told and held out the food out of the window. Hands quickly snatched it. "Why won't you eat with us Hibari?"

"Carbul senfai, wub fwall!" Takeshi held on to the boxer's shirt to prevent him from falling out of the window with both hands while holding a bun between his teeth.

Hayato wanted to hurl his chair and knock them both out of the window. Where the hell were they even getting all that energy from? The Lady ignored them as she gently woke up their boss. He could hear her quietly calling for him. The Tenth usually woke up early on his own but if she called for him, he always answered. Hayato heard his boss' sleepy good morning as he stretched. The cow was still snoring and the Professor was still out... Hayato couldn't stop the uneasiness brewing in his stomach.

The Professor may be out for a little while longer but if he woke up pissed to the high heavens like yesterday...

"Hibariiiiii!"

"Would you put a cork in it?" Hayato couldn't keep it in anymore.

"SHADDUP!" A voice roared from below followed by several strong thumps through the wood. It was so loud the Tenth nearly dropped his juice and the stupid cow woke up, tears and snot running down his face. Before he could stop bawling, the Lady quickly came over and scooped him in her arms, quietly shushing him in record time.

"Geez guys, at least try keep it down until Pa wakes up." She handed Lambo to Chrome. "Before that happens, I need to have a quick talk with you all."

And just like that a heavy cloud settled in the small room, what lightheartedness that was brought by the early rays of the sun gone. They all looked to one another, unsure. Did it have anything to do with the fox yesterday? Or the money that black cat brought last night? Hayato didn't know but whatever it was, it sounded like bad news.

Before she brought it down, she turned to the Tenth. "Promise me you won't get mad?"

The Tenth's face scrunched up, disgruntled, as if he knows something that he wouldn't like was going to come up. He let out a sigh. "Well, you're older self did mention you're going to be explaining some things and we did say we're going to talk... okay."

She blinked and tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Older me huh... what was I like?" Before Hayato could jump and tell her how amazing her older self had been she gestured with her hand, fanning the thought away. "Never mind." Always straight to business, their Lady.

"Yeah so I made a call earlier." She took out a silver flip phone from her pocket. Her father's phone. "I spoke with Uncle. Auntie and the others were doing okay. I told him where we were and they can swing by later after lunch to pick us up. Great right?" Chin on hand, the Tenth stared at her pointedly.

"So why was I~an at the port yesterday too?" Their boss dragged through the name like nails. Hayato didn't like the fox either but the Tenth's dislike for him ran deeper than the rivers underneath mountains.

She sighed and scratched her head. "Well... he came to deliver a task. For me. From the Order." That shady organization that the for was part of? What could the Lady want with them? She continued. "They want me to go inside a monastery in Livorno and retrieve a box. Deadline is in a week."

The Tenth jumped to his feet. "But why you?" he asked and Hayato braced himself for any arguments that could trigger at any moment.

She glanced at the Professor that was still sleeping peacefully despite all the noise they made. "Its the same monastery that my parents were looking into before we moved out of Italy and... I was little bit familiar with it." She crossed her arms.

A shadow of realization passed over the Tenth's face. "Wait, that's..." Why was the Tenth troubled?

The Lady cleared her throat. "Yeah, well..."

"No," the Tenth quickly said. "You are not going."

She shrugged. "Well, I already said yes."

The Tenth groaned and Hayato could sense his boss already growing annoyed. "Couldn't you have said no?"

Her eyes steeled. "No," she answered. Obviously not budging from her decision in the least. "Tsuna, you promised you'd hear me out. At least let me finish."

The Tenth drew a deep breath, an attempt to control his temper that seemed to only flare up when the Lady was being stubborn. "Okay."

"They promised me something. As a reward." She looked to her father. "Something for Pa. I couldn't say no after that and even if I would I'm not sure I could have."

"That's insane! What could you possibly want so bad you'd say yes?"

"Peace of mind." She didn't elaborate on it further. "If it makes you feel better, you guys can come."

The Tenth shook his head. "Mia, I thought you had something else in mind. This is crazy - if you haven't forgotten, there are people out there looking for us!"

"People who have been able to find us in less than a few hours!" She countered. "Don't you think its weird? While we were in Namimori, there's been a lot of crap going around. To draw out you guys, like Reborn said. They didn't even get a chance to get close to Nami High and other neighborhoods around it - thanks to the Chairman - but as soon as we left? Suddenly they know which group to pick out from all the hundred tourists. Even with all the noise we've been making since Milan, how did we stand out so much with CEDEF watching out for us?" A cold, unsettling feeling slithered into his gut. Hayato slowly stood up. Now that she brought it up, she was right.

"Are you saying that there's a traitor with Dad?" the Tenth asked.

"Maybe."

"That's not - "

"Possible?" she finished, brows raised. Her stare hovered but the silent reprimand was there. Even the Tenth hesitated.

"CEDEF is pretty strong though, how could a bad guy be with them?" The boxer suddenly said. Her eyes went to him and Hayato had to give the idiot props for not flinching. "You should have more faith in them Matteis." She lowered her head, her eyes disappearing behind her bangs.

"If Pa wasn't here I would," she said. "But that's not the case. I don't have that luxury and I'd rather not risk it. You don't have to believe me, you don't have to listen to me but I am not going to dismiss it!"

"Hey now, senpai didn't mean it like that." Baseball freak came to stand behind the lady and placed his hands on her shoulders. "That's not what we mean at all, right Tsuna?"

"Just... if we go with you, what about heading to Sicily? And money? Because we're broke."

"That won't be a problem." She reached down her shirt. "Apparently the Order was pretty generous for funding." She placed a wad of cash on the table. Hayato immediately recognized it.

"Where did you hide that?" Chrome asked, her eye wide.

"In my bra," she replied without a shred of embarrassment. Several males blushed. "That's not all of it though." Hayato didn't want to think where else she could have hidden all that wealth. The Tenth was moving his mouth like a fish out of water at that. The lady re-set the table so there would be space for the new map she laid out. The Lady pointed at the town where they were at, the eastern part of Italy. "We're here and Livorno is just over there." She traced her fingertip to the south-western side, which was on the other side of the country. "The original itinerary was that we go to Venice, come back to mainland and take a cruise that goes around the country with Sicily as our last destination. A scenic route. Four or five days tops."

"But if we cut through the country by car or take the train to Livorno, we'd be there in a few hours." She rummaged in her father's bag and pulled out a pencil. She drew on the map, marking their course. "From there, its a straight shot south to Sicily. It will be faster than going by boat like we were supposed to. We can be there by the end of the day if we wanted to. At that point we'll be out of reach for whoever has been after us. The monastery would only be a stopover, a few hours tops. Its safer that way, for all of us."

"What do you mean by that?" Hayato asked.

She motioned them to come closer and pointed at the borders near the town. It clicked."Alliance territories?" Hayato looked to her in quiet amazement.

"Really?" The Tenth looked over Chrome's shoulder.

The route she drew was very close to Alliance territories. Livorno barely scratched that but it was close enough that whoever was after the Tenth would be weary of it.

"This is... how much thought have you given this my Lady?"

"A lot," she simply replied.

Hayato pulled back to stare at her in wonder. Lambo ran his hands over the map. "Can this be colored?"

"I don't know but if you want we can buy a coloring book. Have some more Lambo," Chrome murmured and offered more sandwiches to the cow.

"Mia..." The Tenth shook his head. "Every time you got involved with them, you get hurt. I can't let you do this."

"They saved my life too didn't they?" she reminded him. She placed her hands on the table and leaned forwards, not backing down from the Tenth's growing glare. The map crumpled a bit in the Lady's hands. "Also," she bit out. "I wasn't asking for your permission to go."

Holy crap. The baseball-freak - no, Takeshi's eyes met his. Incoming nuclear bomb. "My Lady, that's um... when you put it that way, your suggestion is really reasonable!" He spoke up before the Tenth lost it, his boss looked at him in disbelief. Ah shit. "That being said this is a lot to take in." He added quickly.

She looked at first like she was going to argue but her eyes dropped and her shoulders sagged in clear disappointment. "Yeah," she sighed. "That was a lot to ask for, sorry."

Watching her flare die out just like that made him suddenly feel incredibly guilty, as did everyone else. The Tenth looking like someone drove several daggers into him.

"You know what, forget that I asked."

"Wait!" The Tenth interjected, unable to help himself. "I'll think about it okay?"

A small smile bloomed on her face and they couldn't help but exhale in relief. "Thank you."

The Tenth's face was red as a tomato. Hayato couldn't help but chuckle at his reaction.

A groan suddenly came from the bed. "W-What time is it?"

---

Tsuna was ashamed to admit he ran out in less than five seconds the moment Nicolas woke up. "So... you guys too?" But he wasn't alone. Everybody else did too, sharing the same expression. Well, except for Chrome and Lambo. The four boys looked at each other.

"W-Well its only right Matteis should spend some time with her Dad," said onii-san as he rubbed his head. Obviously a lie but Tsuna could understand.

"Pretty sure Mia can handle it on her own," Takeshi supplied.

"If the professor yells again I don't think I can stomach it," Hayato confessed surprisingly. "I feel like being there would have made it worse too, since I was born in the Mafia."

Tsuna could understand that. Since they were so honest about it, he felt he had to be too. "Nicolas-san... he told me to break up with Mia." He looked around at their shocked faces.

"And...?" Takeshi pressed, brows furrowing in concern. "Tsuna, what did you say?"

"Eh? Of course I said I didn't want to!" They all sighed in relief. Did they think he wouldn't?

Onii-san crossed his arms. "That's a battlefield I extremely hope to never set foot in Sawada. You have it tough. I'll pray for you!"

"Tch, as if anyone would ever want to go out with you," Hayato muttered.

Onii-san wasn't fazed at all. He seemed sympathetic even. "I'll pray for you too octopus-head. Your personality sucks too much - its not extremely attractive."

"The fuck did you say?" They slammed foreheads together, trying to push each other in the narrow hall while Takeshi laughed. Tsuna smiled gratefully. Their support made it feel like holding his ground and saying no was the right choice. He was nervous and still is. Even more now with the stupid Order coming in at the worst possible time. It annoyed him to no end at how dead serious she was about going. He was going to say no - absolutely going to - but then she made that face and he suddenly he couldn't. He knew that look. All the times Nicolas said he couldn't go or left too soon... he couldn't stand it. Her disappointment. He hated feeling like he let her down.

Couldn't she just ask to go sky diving or wrestling with gorillas or something? That would have been way better.

Just as he thought that, a few low voices from the ground floor caught his attention. He gestured for his friends to keep quiet, thankfully, they did.

"Haven't seen you people here in a long time. Find some other place, the room is in use."

"Didn't come here for that old man." Tsuna could feel the hair rising on the back of his neck. "There's word that the Tenth heir was around town." Their voices were getting lower so he tried to get closer, against Hayato's silent protests. He silently tip-toed a bit down the stairs, doing his best to conceal his presence.

"I haven't heard anything," the tavern owner replied gruffly. "Nobody even knows what the bastard looks like. He could have the shittiest mug in the world, a disgrace to his mama, and I wouldn't know."

"Word is, he's from Japan. Familiar?"

Tsuna pressed himself against the wall now, his muscles tensing.

"That's something. You sure you're not picking a fight with the fucking Yakuza or something?"

"Ya seen anyone like that?"

"How much are you talking?"

The owner was going to give them away.

"Tsuna?" Mia looked over the railing. "What's - " She stopped. He could almost see her thoughts as she processed his expression, and quietly stepped back.

"I saw a few. Age?"

"Fourteen to nineteen maybe."

"Might have seen one or two."

Tsuna sensed it before he saw it. The slight creak on the wood and the motion of the door opening. No. They were found already? Was Mia right after all? Damn it, everybody wasn't ready yet. His youngest guardian was still upstairs with his girlfriend's injured father. They didn't have any backup. Just them. They're gonna find out - they're gonna find them. If only they had time...

Then fight them. Buy yourself some time.

He launched himself in between the gaps of stair's railings and the second floor, sailed and felt his feet connect with the man that just stepped in from the bar. He went flying, crashing against the bar but he wasn't alone.

"Tenth!"

"It's him!"

They know fricking Japanese? Oh he knew that nickname was gonna bite him in the ass one day! Another man came charging through the door with a gun. Tsuna barely had time to react as a bullet nearly grazed him before twisting and ensnaring his opponent's arm in his in a vice.

"Oaaaahhhhh!" Onii-san's fist came slamming out of nowhere against the side of the man's face. Tsuna let the boxer's fist carry the man out of his grip.

"Fuckin hell..." the bartender looked at him and Onii-san before turning tail.

"Sawada, you okay?" Onii-san asked him worriedly.

"Yeah... thanks."

"Tsuna?!" Nicolas came staggering down the staircase while Mia tried to support him. "I heard a gun?"

"I'm fine!" Tsuna said.

"Damn it," Nicolas growled and they tensed. "I can't see a damn thing."

"We can get some new glasses Pa," Mia said soothingly. "After we go, please?"

"After we go," Nicolas repeated but didn't say anything further.

The went out through the backdoor where Hibari had already been waiting for them, a set of keys circling his finger. They stared at him. The prefect jerked his head to the side, indicating that they follow him. He led them farther from the bar and into an open space where an old Volkswagen camper van was parked. It's pastel blue paint was fraying but overall it looked like it could still work. Hibird fluttered out of nowhere. "Mi-Mi!" It took nest on Mia's head.

"What - how?" Tsuna asked in disbelief.

"Were you listening Chairman?" Mia asked.

"Hn."

Tsuna circled behind the van where something caught his eye and saw a sandal, then a foot sticking out from out of the corner of a nearby building. "H-Hibari-san did you - ?"

Hibari tossed him the keys. "Leave, don't ask questions herbivore or I'll bite you to death."

"I can't drive!" He cried, his hysteria at his Cloud potentially beating and stealing somebody's car bleeding into his words.

"I can," Nicolas said shortly as he plucked the keys from his hands. "Get in."

Hibari approached the passenger side on the left. He frowned when the door didn't open the first time.

"Chairman wait!" Mia called but it was too late. The prefect forcefully opened the door, catching Nicolas on the side of the head with a painful thwak! Onii-san dashed forward and caught the Professor in his arms.

"Uhhh..." The boxer frantically looked back at Mia and Hibari, the latter not looking any of them in the eyes. There was an awkward moment.

"Are you trying to give my Pa a concussion?" Mia snapped. "Look at me when I'm talking to you Kyoya!" Hibird tweeted in alarm.

"Mia, we need to go," Tsuna said. Taking over before his girlfriend decides to brawl it out with his strongest guardian, "Onii-san, bring Nicolas-san here. Hayato, you think you can drive?"

Hayato remorsefully took the keys from the unconscious Professor. "I know it better than a boat, Tenth." He jumped into the left side. "And FYI," Hayato addressed Hibari. "The driver's seat is on the left in Italy."

Mia glanced at the direction they came from. "This isn't over," she told the prefect before getting in. They all followed her inside quickly. Tsuna spared a glance of remorse at the man who definitely owned the van. When all of this is over, he swore to pay the man back one way or another. He may not know it then, but it was the start of what soon came to be part of his job in the future: cleaning up after his Guardians.

There were no car seats. Instead, a mattress was stuffed in the back and the flooring was covered with random rugs. Cushions, blankets, pillows and wrappers of every color and shape littered the inside. Peppering the roof were old band posters. Tsuna covered his nose as the stale stench of old socks made it to his nostrils.

Onii-san laid the Professor down just as the van grumbled to life. Tsuna sneezed as he crawled to a spot next to Chrome and Lambo.

"A hippie van," Mia commented flatly. She shook her head. "If we die in this Chairman," she adopted the most annoying, nasally tone he'd ever heard. "Like, I'm so gonna haunt you."

Hibari released a long suffering sigh from the front.

"Okay!" Hayato firmly grasped the wheel. "Let's go!"

They abruptly reversed, crashing into something with a loud thud. "Aghk!"

"Ah, its a bad guy!" Lambo cried as plastered himself to Tsuna's face, pointing at the back. Hayato had pinned a man against a building and he slumped against the rear. The gun he was holding, slipped and clattered to the ground. They screamed and were still screaming when Hayato finally got it right and they were speeding down the road, nearly avoiding hitting anyone else and someone's dog.

"We're gonna die, we're gonna extremely die!"

Amidst all the chaos of what might have been the last few seconds of their life, Takeshi was laughing. He didn't laugh anymore when they ran a speed bump and he knocked his head on the roof of the car, and bit his tongue.

"Hayato you need to slow down!" Mia said. There was a roar behind them. A black muscled car was catching up and it didn't look like it wanted to stop. "Never mind! Go faster! Go faster!"

Hayato barely avoided running into another car. Just as Tsuna peeled Lambo off his face, Chrome was thrown forward and fell on him. "How is it they keep finding us so fast?!" Tsuna turned underneath Chrome.

"Hayato, on your next turn, pull to a complete stop. Let's shake them off!" Mia helped Chrome up. "Chrome, can you put up a quick illusion?"

"I can," Chrome said.

As they crossed a bridge, Hayato sharply turned right off road, into a thicket, and slammed hard on the brakes. Chrome unfurled her trident, holding it to her chest. They held their breaths as the car that had been following them blew right past, it's tires burning the asphalt as it looked for them in vain, completely missing them.

Mia crawled to the rear and peeked over the window. "They're gone."

They all released a sigh and Mia slumped against the door, head buried in between her knees. Hayato dropped his head against the wheel, muttering a long chain of prayers.

"How long ago was it that you called Dad?" Tsuna asked her.

"Two hours I think."

Tsuna didn't want to admit it but, Mia just might be right after all. Reborn personally took care of it himself even but they were still followed. Knowing his tutor, he didn't cut corners. He thought about his mom who was still asleep the last time he saw her. About Fuuta and I-pin. If they went back and those hitmen followed, could something worse happen to them? He crawled his way to her.

"Hayato just might be good getaway driver yet," she joked.

"Let's go to Livorno."

"What?" she said, bewildered.

She was lucky he loved her otherwise this would have sucked. "You were right. This might be safer after all. Mom and the other kids won't get dragged into this and if you're right and there's a traitor around dad... if dad doesn't know, they won't know."

She frowned. "But you said you don't trust the Order?"

Tsuna preferred they never show up again. He had enough problems, thanks. "I know what I said but even if I said no, you'd still go wouldn't you?"

"I would."

Obstinate as a goddamn rock. He wanted to flick her forehead so bad just to see how hard her head really was. She wasn't the least bit guilty at all! Ugh, who was he kidding? He should have expected this from the beginning. The only difference this time around was that she opened up to them for help.

"I hate this," he muttered so she could only hear him. "But I hate it even more when you run off by yourself and I promised didn't I? We'd do this together."

Her face softened and his stomach somersaulted. She can't look at him like that otherwise - "Mi-Mi!" Hibird chirped from under her hair.

Tsuna quickly turned around. "S-So is it alright guys if we went to Livorno?"

"If that's what you decide Sawada then I'm extremely all for it!"

"Lambo-sama goes where Tsuna-nii does!"

Chrome looked to Mia and him. She nodded.

"Nice! Road trip!" Takeshi grinned as he rubbed his head from where he hit it earlier.

"Hayato, we good to go?" When his storm didn't reply right away, Tsuna became worried. "Hayato?"

Whack! "Goddamnit Hibari!"

"Stop slacking and move before I bite you to death."

Hayato did a little growl but when he turned to look behind him, he smiled reassuringly. It would have looked convincing but his hair was sticking out in weird places. His friend was a lot more stressed being behind the wheel than he let on.

"Whenever you're ready Hayato."

Hayato managed to reverse back on the road without running anyone over. While his friend might still need to take some classes in the future, he drove pretty decently. Decent as in they were moving at an okay speed but he hit the breaks way too hard. Still, it didn't happen often and when he did, Hibari would smack his hand. Tsuna was worried they'd start fighting but Hayato surprisingly didn't yell as much as he thought. He did mutter a lot curses in Italian about the prefect.

The van didn't have air conditioning or anything so they opened the windows. The cool breeze was nice. Chrome and Lambo drifted off to it while Takeshi and Onii-san were studying the posters.

Mia sat hunched beside her father that was tucked to the side, His bag laid near his head and a handkerchief over his eyes. Her head dipped. When he edged closer, he realized she was humming to a tune, not drifting. It was a song that he didn't recognize and it wasn't anything else he heard from her either. He scooted closer to her. Drawn like a magnet, she leaned against his shoulder. Oh why can't she just stay like this forever? He cried to himself. Cute and docile? Not sprinting on full speed to danger's waiting arms?

Her humming came to a stop. "Tsuna... could you watch over Pa for a bit?"

"Sure, why?"

"I'm just... gonna close my eyes for a bit?"

"You didn't sleep at all last night did you?" She rubbed her head slowly against his shoulder, no. A scold threatened to jump from the tip of his tongue.

"I know what you're thinking," she said, sleepily. "But I just couldn't and if I could... I didn't want to."

"I was there you know."

Mia yawned. "But you're here too," she reminded him. "I couldn't stop thinking. There was too much to worry about."

"You're gonna make yourself sick like this Mia," he said worriedly. "You don't have to worry so much."

She snorted softly. "Someone has to look out for all of you."

"And who's gonna look after you?"

"You."

Whatever words he had for her next immediately died in his throat. Mia looked to him, not a single speck of doubt in her clear blue eyes. His hand moved without thinking and he cupped her cheek. "Yeah," he murmured. "Go ahead, nap for a bit."

Mia reached for a crocheted pillow nearby, shook it and laid it on his lap. He adjusted his position so he could still sit comfortably as she lied down, facing her father. A minute later, her breathing softened. Cheep. Hibird peeked out of her blonde locks, it's stark yellow feathers and beady little eyes sticking out like a fluffy hair tie. Tsuna put a finger to his lips.

"Shhh."

Hibird hopped out from her hair then flew up to Nicolas' chest. "Mi-Mi."

"Hey," Tsuna frantically tried to make it fly somewhere else but Hibird kept avoiding his hands. "Don't do that."

"Leave it." Tsuna froze.

A lone blue eye peeked from under the handkerchief. It gazed pointedly at his hand that was on Mia's shoulder. He quickly removed it. Nicolas lifted the handkerchief off his face. Now that Tsuna could get a good look at the man, he couldn't help but inwardly cringe at the sizable bump on his forehead. Alongside with the blow to the back yesterday as well from Hibari, the man had to be suffering from a headache.

"What happened?" Nicolas asked tiredly. "Did we get away?"

"Yes sir."

"Are any of you hurt?"

"No sir."

"Are you going to keep calling me sir until I die?"

"Yes si - I mean no!" All around them the others went quiet and Mia nearly slipped off his lap. He quickly held her in place. He fumbled with his words, his sight blended with the horrible bright colors in the van as he tried to come up what to say next.

"Pffft." Nicolas snorted. He was teasing him! All the worry, the stress that had been amounting for the last few days drifted from his body like his soul. It also broke the tension over his friends. Nicolas pushed himself up and winced as he touched his bump.

"Who's driving?" he asked.

"T-That would be me!" Hayato spoke up from the front.

"Pull over."

Tsuna had to catch Nicolas from hitting his head a third time as Hayato smashed the breaks, ripping the van over to the side of the road.

"Bakadera! Bakadera!" Lambo screeched. "Are you dumb or something?"

"You alright Chrome?" Onii-san asked the illusionist that had flipped over.

"I-I'm okay," Chrome said.

"D-Don't mind," Takeshi tried to console Hayato but Tsuna was sure the bomber was quivering in his seat. Hibari remained strangely quiet. The young don wondered if his guardian actually felt remorse for accidentally knocking Nicolas out earlier.

Nicolas made a motion to adjust his glasses when he realized he didn't have them anymore. He sighed. "Alright, I'm driving this time. Tsuna, with me."

"Y-Yes si - I mean Nicolas-san!" Both Hayato and Hibari jumped out without a word and Tsuna took his place in the front after adjusting Mia at the back. It was a miracle she didn't wake up.

"We're almost out of gas," Nicolas noted. "If you see one Tsuna, let me know."

"H-H-Hai!" he replied, his palms sweating.

Nicolas wasn't much for words or socializing but Tsuna didn't feel as nervous as he should have. He had expected Nicolas to be more furious with him, call him names maybe or call his brother to chase him to the ends of the earth but the man had been silent.

"Could you open the glove compartment Tsuna?"

"Uh sure." He opened it. Tons of CD cases toppled out and he scrambled to catch them. Some fell to the floor.

"Don't worry about it, it's not like the owner is going to get them back."

Tsuna swallowed as he laid them on the seat. "I-I'm going to try and compensate them for this though."

Nicolas glanced at him. "If you can find them."

Tsuna searched the compartment but there wasn't an ID or anything that could tell him who the owner was. "The license plate!" He realized. "I could start from there."

Nicolas hummed but Tsuna took that as a yes. Maybe there was still hope after all. A sign down the road caught his eye. "Nicolas-san, a gas station!"

"Good." They pulled over and Nicolas shooed the rest of them into the convenience store nearby, only keeping Tsuna with him. His friends shot nervous glances at him, Hibari ignored him and Lambo ran straight in waving a few bills that the professor gave them. They would have used the money the Order gave Mia but nobody wanted to find out where she hid them on her person.

Tsuna picked up the wrappers and trash inside the van, throwing them in a nearby garbage bin while Nicolas filled the tank.

"I don't know exactly what's going on but did we get separated from your parents?" Nicolas asked him.

"Y-Yes," Tsuna answered, his limbs stiffening.

"Your friends - are all of you in the Mafia?"

Tsuna licked his dry lips. "Yes."

Nicolas yanked the pump out. Oil splattered the pavement as he roughly shoved it back in its slot. When he turned to look back at Tsuna, the young don recoiled at the mounting fury in his eyes. "I'm only willing to take you all to Sicily. After that, we go. Do we have an understanding?"

"But - "

Nicolas was suddenly standing before him. A good foot and a half taller than him, he stared Tsuna down. "Mia is my daughter. I'd do whatever it takes to protect her and this is not up for discussion. I will drive you all to Sicily and then after that its over."

Protect her? He looked up at the man in disbelief, wanting to slam his fist against the van. "Protect what - like her heart? As if you didn't break it enough already!" he snapped back, unable to hold back the resentment that rushed forward like a roaring tidal wave. When the glimmer left her eyes when she realized her father had gone to work without telling her, when he cancelled on their plans, when she did everything she could to appease her father just so that he wouldn't worry - completely letting herself be neglected. To be reminded constantly she was someone who's been dead for years. The feelings he had kept back all this time, because he wanted to believe in what Mia said about Nicolas, came forward to the light.

"Sometimes... Sometimes I think maybe things would have been better if I - "

He didn't show it but it broke his heart when he heard her say it. "Don't you think she has the right to choose for herself that?"

Nicolas' face turned purple. "You don't get to talk to me like that," Nicolas warned, his voice tight.

"Its fine if you think I'm not good enough for her," he said quietly. "But after everything, she deserves to be happy. Are you okay to take that from her?"

For a moment, Nicolas looked like he wanted to hit him. His hand had already been raised and Tsuna braced himself for the impact. "You're just a boy. A child. You don't understand anything." It never came and he lowered his hand. "If Nana could only see you now."

Tsuna bristled indignantly at the mention of his mother. He wanted to keep her out of this and he wasn't a child. "And you do?"

"Children shouldn't be concerned with adult problems until they're eighteen."

Would Mia be furious with him if he threw the first punch?

"Tsuna?" Takeshi called out to them uncertainly. His friends had come back carrying snacks and drinks. They looked at him then to Nicolas who had stepped back, his expression smoothed blank. As for his own, Tsuna was still scowling.

"Back inside," Nicolas said abruptly.

Tsuna didn't take the passenger's seat. He decided to ride in the back this time, not trusting himself with his words while his guts simmered. Hibari was the one who took his place instead. Nicolas glanced at him wearily, probably remembering the blow to his head but he didn't speak. Maybe it was better that way, since the two of them hardly talked.

They stuffed their drinks in the empty cooler. Tsuna refused any of the food they offered him and no one tried to talk to him, probably sensing his mood. Hayato decided to sleep since he stayed up all night while Takeshi stared out the window with Lambo on his lap. He kept the young cow busy by playing a game with him that Onii-san eventually joined in too. The van was filled with their light chatter. Chrome decided to sit in front of him.

"Boss, are you okay?" she asked him in her soft voice.

"Yeah."

Mia twitched in her sleep.

"Are we still heading to Livorno?" Chrome asked him.

Ah, that's right. The Order wanted to send Mia to find a box in the monastery where her mother died. "I don't know," he replied. No matter how shit their situation was at the moment, if Nicolas took a different route, then they wouldn't have to go through with it and he was fine with that. Happier even. Tsuna preferred Mia didn't go anywhere near that place anyway.

Mia mumbled something in her sleep, distressed. He touched her shoulder, worried if she was having a nightmare. He brushed her hair back.

Her forehead was scrunched up, her skin a feverish red and her mouth twisted as if she was in deep pain. Alarmed, he pulled her to his lap. "Mia?"

Chrome touched her cheek, deeply concerned. "Can you wake her up boss?"

Tsuna shook her gently. "Mia," he tried again.

Her lids flew open and Tsuna felt his own eyes burn as his sight was engulfed in light.

---

Bam. Bam. Bam.

The hall was on fire. All around him scorching flames ran from the floor up to the ceiling, dousing everything in harsh light. Instinctively, Tsuna raised his arms to shield his eyes when he noticed his arms were thinner. His skin fairer. There was a scar on his left that ran like thorns around his wrist and under the glare of the fire surrounding him.

This wasn't his body.

Wake up.

He could feel his mouth moving without him doing so.

Wake up!

In the midst of the inferno, two rings of gold stared back at him. In the center of one of them, Tsuna saw Mia's face reflected in the darkness, a silent scream ripping from her throat. Another flash. He was looking down a road. In the distance, he could distinctively see the silhouette of a black car. Sunlight bounced against the hood, glinting angrily.

He shut his eyes.

"Dame-Tsuna!" He felt something shove him hard from behind and he fell, falling out of the nightmare he was in as he hurtled back into his body. His spine curled as he felt himself settle into his skin. When he opened his eyes, blue - not gold - stared up at him. They welled with tears that were threatening to fall. What in the hell was that? Was that Mia's dream?

"Tsuna," Mai rasped. Her short breaths fanned his face as she struggled to control herself and sweat beaded her skin.

His hand still shook from what he'd seen but when he cupped her cheek, the tremors stopped. Or maybe it didn't. Both of them were shaken. He didn't understand what was happening. He was seeing her dreams. He was sure of it. Her skin was hot, as if she stepped right out of a furnace. Or a fire.

"Nicolas-san," he spoke out. He didn't want to, but Mia wasn't looking too good. Tsuna was afraid that if she was like this, then something stressful came up, the van might explode. "I think Mia's running a fever. Can we stop over somewhere?"

"What?" Nicolas said from the front.

The weight that was weighing on his back climbed to his shoulders. "Mia-nee you okay? Want some candy?"

Mia's eyes focused at Lambo. "Maybe later Lambo." She pushed herself up and held her head.

"Mia? What's going on?" Nicolas asked, his voice taking on a worried edge.

"I don't feel so good," Mia admitted. Tsuna's intuition spiked when she covered her mouth.

"Plastic bag?" Tsuna looked around. Takeshi shoved what he needed in his hands and he dove, managing to catch Mia before she went off on Hayato that was still blissfully asleep.

"Sir, please?" Tsuna pleaded over the sound of Mia retching. Blue met brown through the mirror and Nicolas nodded, a silent truce at the moment.

They found a little run-down hostel down the road and if Tsuna remembered the map properly, there would be a point ahead where they can turn right and head to Livorno through Florence. Thinking up plans long term was never his thing - that was Mia. Meals for the week? Easy. Disciplinary Committee's term budget? Could do it with her eyes closed. Outplaying a group of assassins? God she was scary sometimes. She must have had a plan for Nicolas. Maybe. He couldn't imagine the man just going along with this without knowing anything.

Whatever she was scheming would have to wait however as she was too busy keeping her breakfast in.

Nicolas checked them in. Three rooms with the girls getting one for themselves. Before Chrome and led her away to their room, Mia reached into her pocket and slapped a thick roll of money in his hand. "Just in case," she muttered. He wanted to talk to her badly about the dreams she's been having.

Nicolas passed him, following them into their room, a few small towels and a small paper bag in hand. Medicine maybe. It wasn't a good time to bring it up. Too much was going on and if her dreams were real then that vision he saw at the road...

His pills weighed heavily in his pocket. It would be easier, to use his powers, but he didn't want to give Nicolas a bigger reason to just get up and leave with Mia.

"It went that bad huh?" Takeshi came to stand beside him.

"You have no idea," Tsuna said gloomily.

Takeshi smacked him in the back. He beamed. "One more," he said.

"Takeshiiii..." Tsuna whined, rubbing his back.

"You'll get it right next time."

"And if I don't?" Tsuna thought about Nicolas' deteriorating opinion of him.

"Try again," Takeshi encouraged. "Yo Hayato, did ya have a nice nap?"

Hayato stood on his other side, trying to flatten his bed hair. "I heard from Turf-top about what happened. Is the Lady okay?"

"She's running up a fever," Tsuna said. "But she'll be okay. Hayato, about earlier, could you try to call me Tsuna when we're outside? Please?" Before he could start protesting, Tsuna followed up, "They heard. You called me 'Tenth'. They know who Vongola Decimo is now."

Sure it was a huge inconvenience that they found out and he was annoyed by it but its not like Hayato intended for it to happen. Tsuna wanted to do this gently. A bit stern but he honestly didn't expect the number of emotions that ran through his friend's face came like a rainbow. "Tenth I'm so sorry!" Hayato dropped to his knees, as if he committed murder. "I messed up so bad!"

"J-Just remember that for me okay?" Tsuna said, bewildered. "Its okay, really Hayato."

But his friend wasn't listening to him. Hayato somehow had a Popsicle stick on hand and looked like he was seriously considering committing seppuku with it. Hayato had a tendency to be over dramatic in his zeal to serve him and Tsuna didn't want that. Alright, time to bring out the big buns.

"Hayato," Tsuna said sternly. "I'm letting you off with this just once okay? Next time, you won't hear it from me. You'll hear it from Mia."

Is this what it looked like, to have the fear of god put into you? Tsuna wondered anxiously as his friend's face turn ashen. Did he go too far? "Hai, Tsuna," Hayato said hollowly.

"Damn Tsuna, you broke him," Takeshi whispered, concerned.

"I didn't know he was that afraid of her!" He whispered back. "H-Hayato, you can still call me Tenth if you want. Just when its just us, okay? I really like it when you call me Tsuna too. Not trying to be weird or anything," he rambled.

"Teeeenth." And now there were tears in his eyes. Can't something for once go right with him?

Tsuna had to look away from his friend's earnest expression. Something about it making him feel embarrassed. At least he didn't look so heart-broken anymore.

"A-Anyway just remember that okay? I'm not mad Hayato, really." Tsuna said. "Come on, please get up."

Hayato did, properly chastised. Tsuna hoped it didn't ruin things between them. Ah, that was a problem for another day. "Right, there's something I wanted to talk with you guys today. Chrome is with Mia but I can talk with her later." He looked up at the sky.

He didn't like the army of dark clouds slowly making their way to them. If what he saw in Mia's nightmare was real... "Come on." Takeshi and Hayato followed him.

Hibari was being oddly tame. When they went in, the prefect stayed seated in a corner, his jacket draped over the bed nearby. He was trying to read a newspaper. Keyword 'tried'. By the wrinkle between his brows, it wasn't going well. Tsuna wasn't even sure if the he learned Italian. Takeshi and Onii-san were still starting out, so was Chrome but the Prefect, as far as he knew, wasn't interested in Vongola business outside of battle. Maybe hanging out with Mia encouraged him to.

"Sup Sawada," Onii-san greeted them cheerily from the bed. He was playing with Lambo, doing a superman thing with the child balanced on his feet.

"Look Tsuna-nii, I'm flying like you!"

Lambo was waving his limbs way too much to resemble him but Tsuna indulged him with a smile. Was it a good idea to say this in front of him? Lambo was still a kid... it wasn't like he could tell him to wait outside either. So far though, he hadn't spilled any beans around Nicolas.

"You wanted to talk Te - er - Tsu - ah - Tenth?" Hayato said with great effort.

It was something that he saw in a moment - maybe he was hallucinating and was just imagining it but if there was something that Reborn furiously drilled in his head, it was to trust his Intuition. Besides, it hadn't failed him yet. "Actually guys, I think that the hitmen are coming back for us."

Lambo went off balance and fell on the boxer's stomach. "The bad people are coming back?!"

"What makes you think that Tenth?" Hayato asked, shocked.

Saw it in Mia's dream. Okay, that sounded stupid. My intuition. That sounds even dumber. He really didn't think this one through. Both sounded ridiculous. But if he had to pick it would be...

"Its my Intuition," Tsuna said. Well, honesty is the best policy. Hibari folded his newspaper and set it aside.

"Are they close?" Hibari asked.

The fact that it was the prefect that asked first, and not anyone else as they were more familiar with his Intuition that he got from his bloodline, was bizarrely touching.

"I don't know," he replied. He thought about the dark clouds. "But I think we might be seeing them again today."

"Yosh! It's time for an extreme re-match!" Onii-san punched the air.

Hayato clicked his tongue. "Goddamnit, they just keep coming like cockroaches. How many families are even in on this?"

Tsuna wanted to know that too. Absent of his usual smile, Takeshi readjusted the sword on his back. "I think I should go."

"Huh?" Tsuna gaped at his friend.

"Tsuna, this has been hard on you and Mia. Honestly, its not even funny. The professor got hurt too. I don't want to insult your dad or anything but they're not doing very good job at protecting us lately. We've mostly handled things ourselves up until now, maybe its time we take care of this too." Takeshi was dead serious. "And well, isn't it our job to protect the Family anyways?"

Tsuna couldn't believe he was hearing this. From Takeshi. First Hibari, now Takeshi?

"Do you have any idea what you're saying Takeshi?" he lowered his voice, aware that Lambo was still with them. "These people are out to kill us."

"Maa, maa. It's nothing that we haven't handled yet." The baseball player waved it off.

"Baseball idiot, we might be forced to kill them. I hope you know that," Hayato spoke up. A heavy silence weighed on them. Lambo, being the youngest, didn't feel the full gravity of what Hayato meant but looked to each one of them in confusion.

"You can't be extremely serious octopus head," Onii-san said, in clear disbelief.

Hayato glanced at Tsuna. "What do you think Tenth?"

Tsuna's stomach lurched at the thought. He had come close to killing before and it was a feeling he didn't want to revisit. He was only fifteen for god's sake. He didn't get to answer as he was startled from his thoughts. Hibari had stood up, his chair squeaking back. He grabbed his jacket and slipped it on.

"Hibari-san? Where are you going?"

"Patrolling," Hibari replied. The prefect then left. They didn't miss the tell-tale glint of his tonfas secured to his back.

"Hibari's being weird," Takeshi commented. "I thought he would have really hated coming with us but I guess he had a change of heart?"

"Maybe he likes Mia-nee?" Lambo suggested. "Doesn't he usually have a log stuck up in his ass?"

"Lambo where did you learn to say something like that?" Tsuna demanded. The change of subject was welcome but he didn't want to change to that.

Lambo picked his nose. "Bakadera."

"I did not!" Hayato denied, his face turning red. "I never said that in front of you stupid cow!"

"Ha! So you do admit he does have a log stuck up in his - ooomphff!"

Onii-san patted Lambo's head heavily, unintentionally squishing him against the bed. "You shouldn't talk like that, its extremely rude."

Takeshi laughed, his cheerfulness returning with the shift of the mood.

Nobody brought up what Lambo said about Hibari liking Mia. He was glad they didn't, as it still bothered him until now. Don't get him wrong, he was grateful that Hibari was his Guardian but he couldn't overlook that he only took the position if Mia hadn't asked. Hibari had also come to rely on her as his secretary, something that none of them didn't see coming. He didn't understand their relationship. It made him uncomfortable.

Mixed in with Takeshi's laugh was the soft pitter patter of the rain. Tsuna moved to the window and pulled the drapes back.

It was drizzling but looking at the dark clouds, the rain might grow heavier. Hibari wasn't visible from where he was but he hoped he was staying dry.

Takeshi placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Hey, if it comes to it, we'll decide what to do then yeah?" Tsuna could remember Reborn remarking that Takeshi was a natural born hitman. If things really came down to it... somehow he couldn't see his easy-going friend doing that.

"Yeah," Tsuna said. "I'm gonna check on Mia. Just, be careful guys."

Takeshi nodded in understanding and Tsuna left just as a full-blown argument broke out.

He didn't head to the girl's room right away, choosing instead to look around the hostel for a bit to clear his head. He wished he could talk to Reborn. The hitman would have had something to say right about now. His phone had gotten soaked during their escape and hadn't turned on since. He also doesn't know his number. Just his email. In Japan, texting had a charge to it so Tsuna never saw the need to subscribe to a carrier. He knew Mia was, but her phone had turned into coal the other night. Maybe he'll ask the others.

He rounded the corner, to the parking lot, and saw a familiar muscled black car at the front, right next to their van. There was no one inside. The skies grumbled ahead and the rain came down harder.

Where were the riders? How long had they been here? Did Hibari deal with them? He looked around frantically but couldn't see his Guardian anywhere.

Maybe he was thinking on this too much. Anybody can have a car like that. His head pounded. Just in case though, he needed to make sure.

Tsuna headed to the front desk, careful not to run into anyone. It seemed that he didn't need to however as no one appeared.

The hair on the back of his neck rose. The hostel felt eerily empty. When they got here, there was one other car parked nearby. It was still there so those people must be around. The hostel was small but shouldn't there be a janitor or something too? The lack of people only urged him to move faster. When he reached the front desk, he already knew something was wrong. It was quiet and Tsuna didn't dare breath a word.

He flinched when thunder rumbled. The room darkened.

"Hello?" he called out cautiously. "Is anyone here?" He didn't receive a response. Tsuna clutched his head as a flash of pain struck that went as fast as it came.

"Huh?" Something dark glistened on the floor behind the front desk. Heart thudding with growing apprehension, Tsuna approached it slowly. "Hello?" and looked over the desk.

A man was lying face down, a pool of blood growing under him and his leg bent and twisted. "No!" Tsuna jumped over the desk and he knelt beside the man. He gently turned him over.

He slammed back against the wall and forced himself not to scream.

A long cut dragged across the man's throat, ear to ear, blood still trickling down his skin. The man's eyes were empty. He was dead.

They're here.

Tsuna couldn't stop staring. Why? Why? Why? With a shaking hand, he shut the man's eyes closed. "I-I'm so sorry," he whispered, his throat burning. He can't stay here. They can't stay here any longer.

He quickly ran out, desperate to get back to his friends. Tsuna was close to reaching the girl's room, when two figures crashed through the window and landing hard on the ground, grappling each other. Nicolas was struggling beneath another man as they tried to stab them with a dagger in hand.

Tsuna didn't hesitate kicking them off, putting as much force in his kick as he could. He heard bone crack as the hitman rolled away.

"The girls!" Nicolas gasped.

Tsuna jumped through the window. Chrome was holding off the other one back with her trident, its long pointed end sticking out of the man's shoulder. She struggled under the hitman's weight as he pushed her back, despite his wound. He had grabbed on to her weapon and was slowly pulling the weapon out. Behind her, Mia was slumped against the wall. A fresh trail of blood running freely down her face as her gash had been reopened.

"Got nowhere to hide now brats."

"HEY!" he yelled and pulled the assassin back. Tsuna ducked as they swung back.

"Boss!"

"Get her out!" Tsuna felt the assassin's fist dig in his stomach and he gasped, the air rushing out of his lungs. The hitman then backhanded Chrome out of his sight when she came to rush to his aid. She bounced off the bed then to the floor.

"You - " Tsuna gagged as he was seized by the throat.

"No!" he heard Mia cry as she attached herself to their attacker's head, locking her arms around his neck. The hitman's fingers slacked and Tsuna dropped to the floor.

"You stupid bitch!" The hitman backpedaled, slamming her against the wall. Mia let go, landing hard on her side.

"MIA!" Nicolas screamed for the doorway as the hitman picked up a discarded gun on the floor. He pointed it at Mia.

Blood rushed to Tsuna's head and the world slowed. Mia was going to die but he wasn't about to let that fucking happen.

NO! He jumped in front of her and felt something rip into his left shoulder but all he could think about was stopping him. Stopping everything. He lunged for the gun. Every twitch of the muscle, every breath, the slightest movement of the eyes - he could see his opponent's next move with perfect clarity in that moment and parried a punch to the head, a kick to his knees and redirected the next shot away from Mia's head.

It all happened so fast.

He saw the vein on the man's neck throb and he knew he was about to shoot again. With a yell, he had grabbed the hitman's gun arm with two hands and bent it all the way back until the barrel of the gun pointed his face.

Boom!

His opponent's grip went limp and Tsuna let go. He watched numbly as the body fell back, a bloody hole where the man's left eye was.

The man was dead. His other eye pointed to the ceiling. Empty, like that poor receptionist.

Red began to seep through the wound. It grew bigger and bigger until it became a red sea.

He did not get up. Because he was dead. And...

Tsuna killed him.

Tsuna murdered him.

Warm hands touched his face and suddenly the body disappeared as Mia's face filled his sight. She was crying. At the sight of her tears, his own eyes burned. He clutched her hands, desperate for the numbness to disappear. She was saying something but his ears were ringing. He couldn't hear her.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry..." he couldn't stop the words tumbling from his mouth.

Did she think he was a monster now? Would she leave him?

Mia wiped his face. Nicolas appeared too and he looked distraught.

Nicolas definitely hated him now.

"I - "

Nicolas gently pulled him away from Mia. He didn't want to let go. He didn't want to feel cold again. But his strength left him, like whatever life was left in that body. Tsuna didn't fight back as he was pulled into a firm hug.

At first he didn't feel anything. But the warmth slowly broke it's way through the numbness and he heard it. Nicolas' heart. It sounded strong.

"It's okay Tsuna." He heard distantly. "It's okay son."

---

A/N: Poor Tuna fish. Man, I'm really making him pay for it this chapter. All aboard the angst train.