"Jyuudaime?"

There was no answer when Gokudera knocked on his boss' door. He had just returned from a mission away from the Vongola mansion and he had information about a family willing to ally with the Vongola. He had intended to report to Tsuna immediately, however there was one problem - Tsuna wasn't answering.

"Jyuu-?" Gokudera stopped when he tried to turn the handle. It was locked. Tsuna never locked the door to his office. He felt panic rising in his throat but he fought to remain calm - maybe he was just over reacting. The door might have swung shut and accidentally locked? If that was the case then Tsuna might just not have realized.

"Jyuudaime! Can you please open the door? I think it's accidentally locked..."

There was still no answer.

The panic was getting harder to control. Gokudera began pushing against the door in an attempt to move it however it did not budge. He stepped back and took a deep breath, analyzing the situation. Finally, he decided upon the most logical course of action. Gokudera took another few steps back until he was pressed against the opposite wall and curled his hands into a fist.

"Aaaaaarrrrrhhhhh!" The door slammed open as his shoulder hit the wood with all of his power behind it. He tripped a little on entry and sprawled to the floor. Settling dust swirled around him as he took a few more deep breaths. His shoulder hurt a little, but he just ignored it and sat up slowly.

A strange smell was present in the room. It seemed familiar, however not in a good way. It tugged at buried memories and Gokudera felt the annoying feeling that he was forgetting something. His eyes were drawn to the desk which he had sat in front of so many times before and discussed everything from plans for future alliances to fights and unforgettable moments from the past. They continued up, past the hardwood surface and landed on the empty, luxurious desk chair where Tsuna usually sat. Where is the hell was he? The window behind the desk was broken. Smashed to pieces. He saw glimmering shards of glass lying on the floor around Tsuna's desk and chair. Then his peripheral vision noticed a strange looking, growing stain on the ground. It was dark, almost black and it was slowly but surely spreading across the carpet, eating it's way through the material. Gokudera stared at the oddity for a minute before something clicked. It was blood. A lot of it by the look of it...the broken window...the blood...

"Jyuudaime!" Gokudera stumbled to the side of the desk and took a deep breath before hesitantly peering around the corner. What he saw frightened him more than any enemy before.

Gokudera's boss lay broken on the blood stained carpet, his chest barely moving as he attempted to breath.

He fell to his knees beside Tsuna and frantically began searching his body for a knife; a bullet hole - anything that could be the cause of all that blood. All the while angry tears pricked at the edge of his eyes.

"Jyuudaime...don't...don't die, yet! Please hold on..."

Finally, he managed to locate the tiny bullet hole an inch or two above Tsuna's heart. He tore a strip of material from the bottom of his shirt and pressed it into the wound. The freely flowing blood began to slow down, hen his eyes caught sight of a different source of blood. Another bullet hole was bored into Tsuna's stomach. Gokudera cursed and took off his jacket. He tore another strip of material, however his hands were shaking so badly it took him a few moments to shred the expensive garment.

Finally, he had wrapped what used to be a jacket sleeve tightly around Tsuna's midriff, stanching the flow of blood for a little while. As he pulled the last knot a little tighter, he heard a weak groan come from his boss. Tsuna's eyelids fluttered a little as he fought to keep conscious. Gokudera immediately raised his boss' head and shoulders up and let him rest on one of him arms.

"Jyuudaime! Jyuudaime, can you hear me?"

Tsuna's mouth moved however no words came out. He swallowed then tried again, "I...I'm sorry...Gokudera"

"Wh-what?"

"I'm sorry, I...I let my guard down and they..." Tsuna was interrupted by a violet bout of coughing. He raised a pale, clammy hand to his mouth, and when he removed it a fresh layer of blood coated his palm. It ran down his wrist and he let his arm fall back to the ground. His head tilted forward dangerously as his eyes threatened to close once more, but Tsuna forced them open.

"We need to get medical attention immediately! I'll be right-"

"No"

Gokudera stopped. He had just been about to prop Tsuna up on the side of the desk when he felt Tsuna's hand curl into a fist around the material left on his sleeve.

"Wh-what is it?"

"Don't...It's too late. I just...don't want to be...alone when I...when..."

Tsuna's eyes were already sliding shut as he spoke. Gokudera stared in shock once he heard Tsuna's last request- no! He refused to believe him. Jyuudaime couldn't die! Not like this!

"YAMAMOTO! REBORN! ANYONE! HELP!"

Gokudera screamed into the empty hallway. He knew that there was no one around to help Tsuna but he had to try...he had to...do something; anything!

He was yelling even after the heart in his arms had slowed to a complete stop. Even when he could no longer hear Tsuna's desperate breaths. Even when he knew without a doubt that his boss had just died in his arms, Gokudera still begged for help.