Chapter 3 to my heart warming family and romance series! So sweet! So I had someone ask about if there will be mafia related anything in this story, well of course! Rest easy noodles as there will still be ties with the mafia, just be patient! Not going to throw all that at you at once, take the ride nice and easy through this tale! Anyway, something I am trying to do with this story is really have people appreciate the themes I am trying to show. Like Family obviously and friends, and love. Also to see if people can understand the symbolism I try to show in the story, so if someone can guess what certain things and characters represent. That would make me feel like a boss :D. Though I blatantly stated what some things represent, you noodles can guess the rest. READ ON NOODLE!

Tsuna agreed to be the legal guardian of Keiko and take her under his wing. Feeling more confident in doing so with Haru Miura, and old friend of his from high school will help raise her and aid Tsuna in any way she can. Thus with new confidence and Haru standing by him, Tsuna takes the first steps into parenthood. But will soon quickly realize it's a lot harder than he thinks especially when he begins to feel differently to Haru...

"Okay...so sign here...here...and...here. Well, Tsuna. Congratulations! You're officially Keiko's guardian!" Hana said cheerfully as she gathered up the many documents and put them into her briefcase. Tsuna gave a long sigh of relief as he finally finished the huge load of paperwork. He had to fill out a lot of paperwork of promises he will make, and things he must do for the secure environment of Keiko. Haru will help Tsuna in fulfilling these details so Tsuna didn't read too deeply into them. He looked over to see Haru in a corner attempting to play with Keiko.

"Okay Keiko-chan! Shake the rattle. It's fun!" Haru handed Keiko a rattle, she looked at it for a moment. She began to shake it back and forth, hearing the rattle noise it made her smile at it. Tsuna simply smiled at this, but when he looked at Haru. He felt that she looked like a real mother next to Keiko...and she has truly grown beautiful. But at the thought of that he shook his head and looked away from Keiko and Haru. The perfect moment for Keiko to strike, she hit Haru hard on the head.

"Ow! Keiko-chan, don't hit people! That's not nice!" Haru scolded her but her efforts were futile as she got hit on the head again with Keiko smiling at her. "Why you little..."

"Haru!" Hana yelled at her making Haru jump as she looked over to Hana who walked over to her and handed her some papers. "Be sure to fill these out as well, I need them by the end of this week okay? And stop harassing Keiko, I expect better of someone from child services."

"But...but she-" Haru looked over to Keiko who smiled innocently as if she did nothing wrong. It seems Haru meet her rival as she glared at the little Keiko.

"Anyway, Tsuna...Haru. Keiko is in your hands, I'm counting on you two. I'll be dropping by from time to time to check up on you and maybe spend some time with Keiko to give you guys a break. Haru are you going to be staying here?" Hana asked Haru who looked up from her glaring session with Keiko.

"Oh...well...after I set the house up for Keiko. I planned on moving in eventually," Haru said shyly with a smile. "Huh? You're going to live here Haru!?" Tsuna exclaimed. "Y-yeah. Did you not read all those papers you signed?" Hana sighed with a hand on her temple.

"S-some of it..." Tsuna admitted nervously.

"This is why you're hopeless. Look. Haru is going to live here with you; it would be easier for her and you if she does. You are her legal guardian and she is her care taker. You both must be available to her at anytime, and since you are inexperienced. Having Haru around a lot will be very beneficial to you alright?"

"Oh...well...I understand...but..."

"Well if you understand then I must be on my way." She walked over to Keiko and wished her goodbye and gave her a big hug. She then promised to come back and visit Keiko. Keiko was saddened that she had to leave but didn't give Hana too much trouble as she went out the door. "Oh...and Tsuna, Haru...?"

"Yes!" They both saluted her for some reason. "Please...one child is enough for you two already. Use a condom, please?" She joked as she walked out the door leaving Haru and Tsuna blushing and looking at the other.

"Oh...t-that H-Hana...always...a joker..." Haru said shyly looking away from Tsuna.

"Oh..yeah..of course..." Tsuna laughed it off with her as Keiko looked at them both confused. Haru then quickly went back to setting some things up in the house and getting a feel for the new house. Then Haru decided she was tired from a long day at work and asked Tsuna and Keiko if they wanted to watch television which they kindly accepted. After a while of watching TV on the couch together, Haru noticed it had gotten pretty late.

"Sheesh, the moon is out already. Hahiiii!" She said as she stretched out her body on the side of the couch. Tsuna looked over and noticed her chest pop out from within her shirt as she did; he diverted his eyes shyly to not be rude. However Haru noticed him looking already but she simply smiled at it. Though she would take this as a victory for her, sadly Keiko is sitting between them both blocking her from Tsuna. They had some children's show on and she was totally engrossed in it however, she glared at Haru as if she felt Haru looking at Tsuna.

"Yeah. It's pretty late Haru, should you be heading home now?" Tsuna asked her. She couldn't possibly move in today since it was so late.

"Yeah, I should..." Haru thought as she looked at the clock with a tilted head.

"Then I'll take you home." Tsuna offered but Haru quickly shook her head.

"No, no. You have to stay here with Keiko, and I don't want you to bring her out late at night. I'll be fine by myself!" And the law of coincidence made it start pouring rain outside again; leaving Tsuna and Keiko to eye Haru who tried to keep a confident look on her face.

"Well...I can...handle some rain..."

The law of coincidence then made lighting able to be heard from loudly inside the house. Keiko and Haru both jumped and screamed in fear at the lightning. Keiko was in Haru's arms shaking along with Haru who looked at Tsuna.

"...Got...a spare blanket?" She gave a small laugh as Tsuna looked at her with a sigh and calmed Keiko down. Patting her on the head to do so.

"Yeah. It's in the closet, but why don't you take a bath first." Tsuna said while he went to the closet.

"Bath time! Bath time!" Keiko said cheerfully as she waved her arms happily on the couch.

"Oh? Keiko you want to take a bath too? Hmm, why don't you go in with Haru?" Tsuna offered smiling at her.

"No! Hawu a meanie!" She pouted as Haru felt devastated. This child honestly hates her! It's only been a few hours and this child is treating her like the boogieman!

"Oh why do you have to be like that to Haru? Did she do something to you?" Tsuna asked her but she refused to answer and look away. Tsuna wondered what to do about the situation; he hasn't known Keiko long enough to truly understand her or a child's mind. But Haru just got here, what did she do? But an idea came to Tsuna's mind when he remembered how they both acted towards lightning.

"Hey Keiko...you know if you take a bath with Haru, the lighting won't be as scary!" Tsuna winked at Haru who felt hope once again to make this child not hate her.

"Oh...weally? Well...okay...but just dish once!" Keiko said as Tsuna and Haru smile at each other. Haru soon went into the bathroom with Keiko and Tsuna prepped clothes for the both of them. Hana had left a huge bag of Keiko's stuff for them. It was filled with her clothes, diapers, and other child products she needed. He pulled out some sleep wear for her then went to the closet to pick out some clothes for Haru. He pulled out a really big T-shirt of his, girls like to wear big guy shirts right? He also pulled out some shorts hopefully they aren't too big on her he hoped. And as he looked through the closet he heard noises from inside the bathroom. Keiko and Haru were talking to each other. He felt they were getting along just nicely.

"Ow! Don't pinch me there Keiko! Ow!" Haru exclaimed as Keiko was on top of her in the bubble bath.

"Hmm...Hawu has weiwd bumps here.." She pinched Haru's breasts making her wince in pain.

"K-Keiko! Don't do that! I'm supposed to be washing you ya know!" Haru turned the pouting Keiko around and began to wash her long hair with shampoo.

"I just wanted to know what those bumps were..." Keiko said sadly. Haru then thought to herself how she should go about this situation. Talks like these in the bathtubs should be between the mother and daughter; the mother explaining the wonders of a girl's body to her daughter and explaining everything there is about being a girl. Well at least the parts a little girl would understand at least. Talking about the various experiences and fun you have being a girl. But when Haru began washing Keiko's hair, it only reminded her of Kyoko. How Kyoko has been robbed of experiences like these. Haru couldn't imagine what it would be like for her, to be a mother who couldn't share time with their own child anymore. Haru didn't think of herself as Kyoko's substitute...but somebody to just help her best friend out. Haru sighed which Keiko noticed.

"Hmm...is it a bad thing?" Kyoko turned around suddenly in the water and splashed some of the soapy water in her eyes. She began to thrash around a bit in pain. "Oh no..here Keiko..let me get the soap out of your eyes..." Haru turned her around with a wet towel and got the soap out of her eyes.

"Oh..t-thank yew..." She said lowly. Haru thought she can be nice when she wants too. "Well...to answer your question..these..bumps on my body aren't bumps. They're breasts. They...grow from a girl's body at a certain age Keiko-chan." Haru began to wash Keiko's back and under her arms.

"Does..it huwt?" She asked somewhat scared.

"No, no...they're harmless! (Somewhat)" Haru laughed. It was interesting for her to have this conversation with Keiko. It was kinda embarrassing but fun to be able to teach Keiko like this. She wondered how this conversation went with her own mother. How did she explain a girl's body to Haru again, Haru tried to remember. Maybe she was too young for this talk? Well it was just a girl's chest, nothing wrong with telling a three year old girl about breasts right? For some reason Haru felt that there was something definitely wrong with a situation like this.

"Hmm...I will get those eventually too?" She asked rubbing her own body.

"Mmhmm! A lot of things will happen to you when you get older, sweetie!" Haru said getting lost in her excitement of finally being treated like a person by Keiko!

"I'll be a big...girl?" Keiko seemed more cheery and Haru was surprised to have such a good conversation with her.

"Yup!" Haru exclaimed happily thinking Keiko is warming up to her now for sure!

"Wow...dats cool...I can't wait to gwo up!" She splashed around in the water as Haru giggled at the playful Keiko. She isn't so bad after all Haru though to herself. Every child just needs time to get used to new people Haru thought.

"Soo...what other things happen to girls Hawu?" She asked turning to Haru. Haru put a finger to her mouth and before she opened to her mouth to speak. She couldn't think of anything. Because that involves puberty and puberty isn't exactly fun for a girl. It's not fun for anybody but...she isn't going to have that talk with Keiko about the bad parts to being a girl. So she decided to bring up something else instead.

"Uhh...well...Keiko-chama...girls get to umm...fall in love with boys!" (Chama is a really cute way of addressing babies/little kids. Like baby talk that parents do in that weird voice for some reason?)

"Fall in wuv?" Keiko asked curiously.

"Yup, that's one plus to being a girl...I suppose..." Haru said as she thought about her own comings in love which tended to come up short.

"What...is wuv?" Keiko suddenly asked Haru. Haru stopped washing Keiko and looked at her in the eyes.

"You...don't know what love is Keiko-chan?" Haru said feeling a bit sad to hear this question.

"Nope. Mommy said it lots and lots to me...but...I don't weally get it..." The sad reality about Keiko's life once again set itself in Haru's mind. As well as sad parts to Haru's own life. Haru thought about how to answer this question...of all people she had to ask what love is..she asks her, Haru thought. Haru thought love was something people just understood naturally. To actually be asked what is love...that was a new one.

"Well...love is...a very strong feeling you get...right here in your heart." Haru said pointing to it on her body.

"Heart?" She said tilting her head as she put a hand over her heart. She felt it beating in her body and was scared to know about it at first. But Haru explained it wasn't anything scary, one's heart is what keeps us filled with life and energy!

"A heart Keiko...it's how we love others. Love is well...is...hard to explain. It's hmm, do you really like your mommy?" Haru asked Keiko who smiled big.

"Yeah! Keiko weally likes mommy!"

"Yeah, exactly! That strong feeling you feel towards her, that's love. You...love...your mommy..." Haru said slowly as she thought about those words more and more tried not to cry in front of Keiko. Talking about Keiko was hard on Haru, she was her best friend after all.

"Hmm...I think wuv Papa too!" She said cheerfully to Haru.

"Oh?" Haru wiped her eyes clean with a dry towel on the rack to her right. "That's good. I'm glad you understand what I'm trying to say...I'm not so good with love myself..." Haru sighed and gave a small smile.

"Hmm? You're not? Why?" Keiko asked Haru with beady eyes.

"Well...I've never been so good with it. It's hard for even grownups to understand Keiko. And ever since I was younger...I have always loved somebody...but..I could never get him to notice me...I could never help him...I...loved him...but...I couldn't make him smile...not like..." She quickly stopped when she noticed Keiko getting confused by her words. "Oh! Sorry Keiko! Look at me rambling on. Well I think you're plenty clean by now, why don't you go dry off while I clean myself up okay?"

"Hmm, okay!" She said getting out of the tub and dripping onto the tile floor. Haru rubbed her body with soap and Keiko began staring at her.

"What is it Keiko?" Haru asked with a smile.

"It's a good thing you're getting clean! You looked very dirty!" She said with a grin. Haru takes back anything nice she said about her. She is still a demon!

"...That's it!" Haru splashed water at Keiko who laughed as she jumped back in the tub and the two began splashing water at the other playfully. Meanwhile outside, Tsuna was setting up a futon and the couch as he heard the loud noises coming from the bathtub.

"Sheesh...what can two girls possibly do for so long in there? Are they even bathing..?" Tsuna shook his head as noticed something sticking out of Keiko's bag. An arm of sorts, he went over and pulled it out to see a small teddy bear. It was a brown bear with signs of sewing on the arms and legs. On the back was a heart sown on it that read. "From Mommy, with love!"

Tsuna's mind began filling with images of Kyoko. Why she chose him? Why does Keiko call him Papa? What were the marital issues Hana mentioned before? He forgot to ask her about them. All of this was a lot to think about, and Tsuna was confused by it all. He's a guardian now...what exactly is he doing with his life now? He has to support a child...can he really do it? At least he has Haru he thought to himself.

"Ah! Tsuna? You out there? Can you hand me and Keiko our clothes?" Haru said from the bathroom door. Her head was sticking out the crack of it so her whole body wouldn't be out in the open.

"Oh? Yeah, sure, just a second!" He replied back walking over to the basket by the door with their clothes inside. He picked it up then knocked on the door. He heard water splashing then a moment later Haru opened up the door just enough so Tsuna can only see her head again.

"Thank you Tsuna...sorry I have to borrow your clothes." Haru smiled at Tsuna which caused his heart to skip a beat. Tsuna could see Haru's long brown hair dripping wet with water splashing onto the floor. Her smile was very bright and stretched from one side to the other. She was truly beautiful Tsuna thought.

"Oh..no problem at all Haru. Here, I have my t-shirt and some shorts; they might be big on you..."

"Nah you're not that big Tsuna! It's fine!" Haru laughed making Tsuna feel like a weakling. But, little did she know, she let her guard down near Keiko. Keiko was behind Haru examining her body up and down. She gave an evil grin after a thought came to her. The moment Haru opened the door some more for Tsuna to hand her some clothes she went to the side of the door and pushed it wide open! Haru was caught off guard and dropped the clothes on Keiko covering her body. While Tsuna got a glimpse of Haru's body completely. He saw everything in full view, from her chest down, and back up again. Her slender soaked body with her womanly curved all around. Haru stopped and looked down at herself then looked at Tsuna. She blushed deeply and covered herself quickly with the clothes that covered Keikoas she ran back inside the bathroom, closing the door shut quickly as Tsuna just stood there gawking at the door. She then opened the door up again slightly as she grabbed Keiko and went into the bathroom again.

"W-what...just...happened..." Tsuna murmured to himself. Haru didn't see Keiko at all it seems. Thus the score is Keiko 2, and Haru 0.

After a while the two came out dressed and washed, Tsuna then went in himself. Haru was on guard as Keiko tucked herself into bed on the couch. Haru's purity was at stake with this little girl. She couldn't get married now for sure... Just the thought that Tsuna saw her caused her head to spin and she held herself tightly in embarrassment. But she wondered...what did he think of her? She twirled a strand of her hair as she hoped...deep down...that he thought something positive about her; even if it's just a small thought. She sighed as she saw the futon and the couch. She didn't know where she was sleeping tonight but thankfully Tsuna came out the bathroom drying his hair with a towel.

"Oh, Tsuna! You're out. Umm where am I sleeping?" Haru asked Tsuna who looked at her.

"The couch, I'll sleep on the floor." Tsuna yawned.

"But...I don't want to put you out on the floor..." Haru said sadly.

"It's fine, Haru. I don't mind. You girls can have the couch! As long as you can sleep well, you and Keiko. That's good enough for me." Tsuna said smiling making Haru blush and turn.

"O-okay then." Haru got under the covers of the couch and Tsuna got into the futon. They talked for a bit then said goodnight before they both tried to fall asleep. But they both couldn't sleep when they realized their situation. A man and a woman...sleeping under the same roof? It would be unnatural if something didn't happen but indeed nothing happened. Tsuna was wide awake and couldn't stop thinking about the fact Haru is sleeping not too far away from him. Likewise for Haru, Tsuna looked over to see Haru looking at him.

"Oh...you're still awake Haru?" Tsuna whispered as not to wake Keiko.

"Yeah...hard to sleep ya know?" She whispered back jokingly.

"Yeah, I understand...well...Haru...so you're like my maid now then?" Tsuna joked with his arms behind his head. Haru pouted as she herd herself get called a maid of all things.

"Pssh, I'm not your maid. I'm more like Keiko's toy really..." Haru said as she glared at Keiko next to her.

"Toy? Oh she isn't too bad," Tsuna said waving Haru's words off.

"She's a demon! A demon! How don't you notice the horrible things she did to me today?" Haru said as she was being put on a trial and tried to make her case.

"Horrible things?"

"You can't even understand my pain..." Haru said sadly as she shivered from the thoughts of Keiko.

"But..she does seem to have something against you...maybe it's because you're a stranger to her?" Tsuna wondered.

"She's fine with you though!" Haru retorted.

"Maybe a bit too fine, it makes me wonder...she calls me papa you know," Tsuna told Haru who tilted her head in curiosity.

"Papa?"

"Yeah...I don't know why though...and she already seems to know about me..."

"That is weird...I wonder...oh! So if you're the papa...does that make me the..." Haru's face blushed a bit at the thought.

"The what?" Tsuna asked her unable to see Haru's facial expressions clearly in the dark. Haru's face turned slightly red and she hid her face with her hair unknowingly.

"Well...a...m-mother..." Haru finally said. Tsuna was taken aback by that for a moment. He looked to Keiko sound asleep; he guesses this is like a family for real now huh? Father, mother, and a child...it makes sense.

"Well...I suppose so..." Tsuna said after thinking about it.

"Geeze...don't say it like that Tsuna...I don't know if I can be a mom now..."

"Yet you work with kids a lot. You love them don't you?"

"I do! But...this one...this one has it out for me! Plus I had a talk with her in the tub..."

"About?"

"Well...girl things...and she asked me about Love, Tsuna. It was hard for me to explain it to her...and I felt like...like...I was taking Kyoko's place as a mother."

"Oh..." Tsuna began to think about Haru's position. She too must be very upset about Kyoko. Probably more of the reason why she is here, but to actually raise Kyoko's kid must be hard for her...a constant reminder to her and him.

"I can't be a great mother...I'm..Haru, for Pete's sake. Sure, I want to work with kids...but to actually be a mom seems impossible for me. Mothers are caring, attentive, and can do the chores and raise the kids all at once. I don't know if I'm capable of all that, but then again I could only be a housewife. I seem too hopeless working for the family," Haru said in a joking tone once again.

"Oh don't say that Haru. I know you can do it. You would be a great mom! You already seem like one to me on the first day of all of this."

"R-really Tsuna?" She asked surprised.

"Yeah...you would make a great wife one day. Even if you think may not be all that exactly...you have a great heart Haru...and though I'm not a mom so I can't really talk..but I know my mom may not be the best. But she does everything she can, just like you. So all you truly need to be a great mom, is a great heart I suppose? Something you have for sure." Tsuna smiled at her who can't help but smile back. Haru couldn't help but think with a big smile how lucky she was to be with Tsuna, the sweetest guy in the world.

"Well...you would be a good father too Tsuna! You're off to a good start already by taking care of the mother and child." She winked at him making Tsuna shyly laugh. This was a really nice mood Tsuna felt, so homely his house felt. He didn't feel alone anymore with Haru and Keiko. When was the last time he's laughed? Smiled? Truly felt light in his heart? Was it thanks to Haru...Keiko? It was the both of them really. He was glad to have the mother, Haru and the child Keiko here with him. Tsuna began thinking about the future; things can only go up from here right? He hoped it would at least.

He wished Haru a good night for real this time as she did the same to him. They both turned away from the other, and Tsuna soon fell asleep. But Haru was too happy to go to sleep and dream, for a dream that had been asleep in her heart for five years was slowly becoming a reality. She looked back at Tsuna with pleading eyes.

"I'm sorry Tsuna...I'm so sorry you had to suffer for so long...I promise...I'll help you from now on...I'll always help you...because..." She put a hand over her heart that was beating quickly. She thought back to the day Tsuna got rejected by Kyoko. She was actually there behind the door on the rooftop. She followed Kyoko up there to see what was going on. When she heard Tsuna's words however, her heart was broken. She loved Tsuna deeply and openly tried to show her love for him but he never noticed or accepted it. Hearing him confess to Kyoko broke her heart into a million pieces and she ran away crying down the stairs. She decided to try to move on from Tsuna, but when she saw him sad and alone soon after, she knew what had happened, and she wanted to do what she could for Tsuna. But...he didn't care for her she thought. So she didn't step forward to help him when he needed it most. Not only did Tsuna suffer over the past three years, Haru did too. Two heartbroken lovers, who suffer alone...

"I...love you Tsuna...I'm so sorry..." Haru cried herself to sleep silently not knowing Keiko...had heard her that night...

"Mmm..." Tsuna looked behind him to quickly see Keiko snuggled up behind him.

"K-Keiko? When did she get in the futon?" Tsuna tried to move his arms but he noticed one was dead due to Keiko sleeping on it. He couldn't move the other either for some reason and he saw that Haru was sleeping on the other! "W-what the heck? Why are the two of them in my bed? What was the point of the couch then...?"

Tsuna saw it was still early in the morning and didn't want to wake either of them up. The two girls in his life now both sleeping soundly with their eyes closed. Tsuna looked up at the ceiling. He has a long day ahead of him...the father, Tsuna...the mother, Haru..and the child, Keiko; a mismatched family with special conditions for being together. But all three of them have felt hurt and sorrow. And they will quickly learn...how much sadness there is under the sky...

"Love...what is love indeed...?" Tsuna asked as the two sleeping beauties enjoyed their sweet dreams.

NEXT CHAPTER: A Loving Past!