DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Katekyo Hitman Reborn or any of its characters. I do NOT gain any profit from this fan-fiction. It is strictly for my entertainment and anyone who enjoys reading it!

CLAIMER: I OWN the craziness of my Self-Inserted Gary-Stu. Beware!

WARNING: This is a SLASH/MALExMALE/YAOI fan-fiction. If you do NOT like same-sex relationships, then this story is NOT for you. The reborn/self-inserted character may be a Gary-Stue. This story is also fast-paced.

BETA READER: None, so there will be some mistakes that I miss.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Short, sad, but hopeful. This is the final chapter. Thank you all who have remained with this story and gave it a chance.

-Chapter 25-

"Sorrow is food swallowed too quickly, caught in the throat, making it nearly impossible to breathe."

― Jesmyn Ward, Sing, Unburied, Sing

-KHR-

Byakuan sat hunched over in a chair, his elbows resting on his knees and his chin pressed against the top of his laced fingers. He stared at the hospital bed through narrowed lilac orbs, his white locks falling over his face and casting a shadow over his grave expression. Kyoya lay motionless, has since being admitted to one of the best hospitals in the country. That was eleven months ago and now the doctors were whispering about things that infuriates him.

Things about organs shutting down; Kyoya's organs were fine, Byakuran saw to that. The young man lacked any brain activity; Byakuran's eyes flickered to the monitor showing exactly how much brain activity Kyoya was experiencing and the results were not nothing. There is nothing more that we can do, one doctor had the nerve to tell him and Byakuran saw to the man's removal…from the hospital and possibly Japan altogether. No one could prove anything.

The doctors wanted to disconnect Kyoya, trying to convince Byakuran that it was time to let the raven rest without the aid of machines and IVs. Outside of the hospital, away from the whispers echoing from doctor lounges and nurse stations, there were rumors circulating about the Vongola. Rumors about Sawada Tsunayoshi not becoming the Vongola Decimo. Rumors about a long-thought dead line of the Simon Famiglia surfacing and making a claim for the position.

Byakuran remained motionless to the rumors, only accepting what his famiglia told him as truths. Uni…ever since Byakuran took up residence in Kyoya's hospital room, Uni has been keeping up with the Millefiore duties; both hers and his. The door to the hospital room slid open and Byakuran glanced to the side to see Kaoru and Akira, Kyoya's parents. Just outside the door was Fuuta holding Kusakabe's hand, tears dampening his cheeks as he carefully held onto Hibird with his free hand.

Byakuran looked at Kyoya's mother first, the utter heartbreak she was feeling reflecting in her gaze while the rest of her expression remained blank. Kyoya's father…looked resigned and if not for the slight trembling of the man's hands, Byakuran would think the man unaffected.

"So, you've decided," Byakuran stated, his voice hoarse from disuse.

No matter what he wanted, he and Kyoya were not married. Byakuran had no say in Kyoya's continued health. No…that was up to Kyoya's parents.

"Kyoya would not want to remain like this," Kaoru spoke, his tone resolute. "He hates being weak and hates others seeing him as weak. We cannot continue forcing our son away from the peace he needs."

Byakuran stood up, baring his teeth as his hands fisted tightly at his sides.

"You can't," Byakuran sneered. "He just needs a little more time, then he'll wake up. You'll see."

Akira stepped over to him, slowly raising her arms and circling them around the snow-haired male. Byakuran flinched at the action. She held him tightly.

"I know you are hurting. Seeing someone you love like this…," Akira whispered, pausing when her words threatened to break. "My son…my baby boy…"

Byakuran's arms wrapped around Akira's waist as she trembled, feeling the dampness growing on his shoulder.

"Kyoya would not want this," Kaoru said from behind them, having walked over to be close to his equally grieving wife. "Let us free him."

Byakuran's eyes locked onto Fuuta's, the child sobbing but trying to keep the sound quiet. His vision blurred and something wet trailed down his cheeks. Byakuran shuddered, trying to breathe, but found the action difficult.

"Shh, you're not alone," Akira whispered, tangling her fingers in Byakuran's hair and every emotion he had pushed back for the past eleven months came crashing down on him.

"Ran-chan!" Fuuta cried out, breaking free of Kusakabe's grip and running to Byakuran.

Byakuran felt more than saw Fuuta slam into his side, his small arms wrapping tightly around his leg as the child sobbed loudly and no longer trying to muffle the sound. Byakuran blindly reached down, caressing the top of Fuuta's head in an effort to comfort the child even as his own sobs racked his body. Losing someone never hurt so bad.

-KHR-

My head is pounding as if a tiny dwarf belonging to Snow White is inside my head hacking away at my skull in a frantic search for precious gems. His excavation is currently unsuccessful given the circumstances. Opening my eyes, I blink away the drowsiness left behind by another restless night's sleep. I stare up at the green, green leaves of the tree I decided to nap under. The grass was soft and cradled me.

I shifted to my side, my arms going around a round yellow pillow in the shape of a fluffy bird. The sound of children running around and playing was nearby and I realized that I must have fallen asleep during playtime. I winced as a kaleidoscope of images flashed through my mind, increasing the pain in my head and casing me to squeeze my eyes shut while tightening my grip on my plushy. Names and voices followed the images…memories of another life trying to overwhelm me to the point of unconsciousness. I pushed back against a feeling of despair, forcing myself to sit up and cradle my aching head.

"Kyo-chan, it's time to come in. Playtime is over."

At the sound of the teacher, I glanced up and watched as a young woman made her way over to me with a frown on her face. She quickly crouched down in front of me, concern shining in her eyes.

"Are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?"

At the question, my hand touched my chest where a phantom ache seemed to throb. My brows furrowed and the teacher scooped me up. When did I get so small?

"Come on, I'll take you to the nurse. We have a new student joining us today. They scrapped their knee, so you'll be able to meet them first," The teacher spoke softly in my ear as she carried me and my plushy inside the preschool, her voice soothing me back into a half-drowsy state. "Byakuran-chan is new to the country, so please be nice and no biting him to death."

It was said teasingly, but I was suddenly more awake than I ever was. I leaned up, my head turning until I spotted a head full of white hair and a pair of intense lilac orbs.

"Ran…"

The nickname tumbled from my parting lips and I could remember a time when those lilac orbs looked at me with such unquestionable love and sorrow. The teacher's question of us knowing one another went unheard as Byakuran hopped off of the cot, calmly stepping over to me as the teacher lowered my feet to the ground. Byakuran grabbed my free hand in his, a smile stretching his mouth upwards.

"Kyo-chan, I finally found you."

"Wao…carnivore."

-END-