Chapter 3: Childhood Memories

KT sat in a chair next to the hospital bed, waiting for Tsuna to regain consciousness. "Come on, Tsuna-kun...wake up..." she said softly. IV's were hooked up through his left arm. The door opened. KT turned to see if a Nurse had walked in, but instead she saw a teenager, a little older than Tsuna, wearing a trenchcoat. He walked over to the bedside. "He's still alive?"

"Of course he's still alive..."

"Hey...don't get all defensive. I just need to talk to him."

"Good luck. Unless you can perform miracles, that won't be happening for a while."

The kid smirked. "Gladly..." He took his hand and poked Tsuna's right cheek. KT rose an eyebrow.

"Yeah...that was some miracle."

"Just wait a second..."

Tsuna jolted awake, opening his mouth to scream, with nothing leaving it. "Told you so..."

KT was speechless. "H-how!"

"I would tell you...but this isn't private enough. See you later..." He walked out.

"Tsuna! Tsuna, are you alright?"

~Why...can't I talk!~ Tears had welled up in his uncovered eye. She put a hand on his face. "Don't cry...Everything is going to be alright...your speech will return within a day. You survived the impossible, Tsuna."

~How did she know...?~

"There were a lot of things you weren't able to know...but now..."

~You can mind read?~

"Exactly. Don't worry, I'll be able to help you until you can speak again."

~What happened?~

"An aircraft crashed...I'm just glad you're okay."

~It hurts...~ His teeth were clenched together tightly, his tears flowing. "Shh...everything's going to be alright...You'll be here for a few days and then you get to come home with me."

~What about my mother?~

KT looked down. "She doesn't want to take care of you anymore...She's afraid she'll be put into danger if you go back there...I'm going to fight for the legal rights to you now..."

He cried, but his sobs were silent.

KT walked into the hospital room. "Here. I brought some non-hospital food."

"Thanks," Tsuna said softly. His speech had returned, though it was still very soft. She pulled a table over the bed and set the food down. "It smells good, what is it?" he asked. She smiled.

"Chicken over Rice, Miso Soup, and..." she pulled a container from her shopping bag. "A red bean rice cake."

Tsuna's face had lit up for the first time in the three days he had been hospitalized. "Enjoy, but not too fast."

"I know," he said. "Eating fast hurts the tummy."

"Exactly."

He ate happily. "Way better than hospital food!"

"Good..."

An hour passed, and Tsuna had fallen asleep leaning on KT's shoulder. She pushed the table away, and positioned herself comfortably on the bed. Her right hand was stroking his right cheek softly, her left gently rested on the left side of his head. She began to doze off into sleep.

Tsuna awoke in a place he hadn't seen before. It was pouring rain, and he was stuck in a tree. He had dropped from branch to branch until he had come to rest on the branch he was on. There was a strike of lightning, and the rumble of thunder. "Hiee!"

A light flickered on from a nearby house, and someone had walked outside and up to the tree. "What are you doing up there?"

~It's my other self!~ Tsuna noted. "He...hehehe I'm kinda stuck." The branch cracked and broke. He hit the ground. "Never...mind..."

His other sighed, and picked Tsuna up by the shirt. "You're here, you might as well come with me."

The house was of decent size, but very empty. Tsuna sat shivering on a recliner, arms wrapped around his legs. A towel was thrown on top of his head, and it draped itself over his eyes. Then a blanket was put over his body. "You look cold."

"Y-yeah..."

"You okay?" His other asked as he pulled a twig from Tsuna's hair. He almost laughed. "For a danger hater, you sure are a danger magnet."

"Yeah..."

"Jeez, kid. You're a real buzz kill. Laugh, show some enthusiasm! Come on! You're not this boring, I would know. I am you after all."

"I'm sorry...I'm just confused."

"I understand. -Sigh- I can't explain much, but I can try."

"What is this place?"

"This is Cielo. Full name; Fiamma di Cielo (Italian for: Flame of the Sky). It's no where on your Earth, I assure you. This world, was created as an alternate for yours. Basically, everyone on your Earth has an alternate here, like you have me. But not everyone is super powered like you, and they can't switch. The people here are what you guys call your 'Conscience', the little voice in your head telling you what to do."

"Are other people able to visit like this?"

"No...people from your world don't usually meet themselves here until they die, when both halves combine to make the journey to Heaven, or Hell."

"How come I have superpowers, and others don't?"

"Eh...well, I can't really explain that. It's not my job. But you'll understand soon, I promise."

"Why are you so far away?"

"Like I said...Humans don't come here unless it's to fuse with their alternates, I don't want to take that chance..."

"But then...why am I here?"

His alternate seemed puzzled about it as well, but he was very cautious. "I...don't know. I don't think this has ever happened before..."

"Maybe you're able to touch me then...without fusing together." Tsuna held a hand out. The alternate hesitated, then took Tsuna's hand. The both of them smiled. "Your hand is cold..."

His other sat next to him. "How can you tell? Your hands are freezing." He put a hand on Tsuna's forehead. "I swear you're sick, you haven't laughed yet!"

Tsuna giggled. "Your hand is really cold! Stop, stop! AH! Hahahaha COLD!"

"That's what I wanted to hear!" He pulled Tsuna closer, so his head was resting on the side of his others chest. "You may have the biggest burden on your shoulders...but don't let that stop you from being a kid. Laugh, joke around, live your life...Don't let anything put you down."

Tsuna yawned. "That does include 'Do Safe Things', right?"

"Of course! Don't want you killing yourself."

Tsuna closed his eyes.

"Don't let anything rob you of your childhood, Tsuna."

A light flashed, and Tsuna was gone.

"So, have they found anything out about the plane?" Tsuna asked. It was hard for him to believe that only 4 days before he was being crushed under a giant aircraft. "No, not yet."

"Who would do something like that anyway?"

"Idiots. It's sad to think; we have stupid people, even with education. Just goes to show, you can't fix stupid."

"Do you think they would turn themselves in?"

"I don't think so. I highly doubt they even know they caused this."

A nurse walked into the room. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I came to clean and re-dress his wounds..."

"No problem," KT said. She was about to step out the door. "Um...excuse me, miss! B-but can you help me...I think it's a good idea to have someone he knows around..."

KT nodded and strode back over to the bed. She took Tsuna's hand. The nurse unwrapped his head. KT winced inwardly, but didn't realize her physical reaction. She hadn't known the extremity of the wound to his head, there had been too much blood to see. It's amazing how much of the injury was taken by his other half...I know it would be so much worse if he hadn't. The nurse took a cloth covered in sterile water and started to clean the gash. Tsuna closed his right eye tight, whimpering from the pain. His grip tightened on KT's hand in response. She snapped out of her trance. She placed her other hand around their clasped ones. "It's alright, To-shi...It's okay..."

Tears glistened on his cheek. The nurse grabbed a roll of wrap, and re-dressed his head. "Okay, I need you to prop him up for me."

"Alright."

KT propped Tsuna up, while the nurse had begun to unwrap his chest. "Okay, lay him back." KT gently laid him back. She gasped and put a hand over her mouth. Oh my God! His chest! How are they both surviving this...? There was a large laceration that started at his right shoulder, and ran across his chest to stop at his left side. Smaller cuts and bruises were also present. Tsuna screamed as the nurse started to clean the large wound. KT went back to holding his hand with both of hers, but she couldn't help the tears she had begun to cry. "Shh...it's okay...it's going to be okay..."

"Lift him up again so I can wrap him..."

KT did, unable to speak, and when she had laid him back down, she realized he'd passed out from exhaustion. The nurse was collecting her things together. "You never saw his wounds?" She asked. KT shook her head.

"I never knew... they were so bad..."

"It's hard to believe that this one...12 year old child could hurt so much, and live through it all. It's truly remarkable...Is he your son?"

"N-no...I'm his guardian. After all he's been through, I kind of wish I was his mother instead of the one he had."

The nurse nodded. "I'm Mika Umeko. I won't be here tomorrow, so if you leave before I see you again, it was nice to meet you."

"Kera-Taka; it was nice to meet you too."

Tsuna woke on his 5th day. KT was still fast asleep on a bed next to him. ~I can't wake her...she's worked so hard for me...she needs sleep.~ He moved his legs over to have them dangle over the side. The IV's had been unhooked. Tsuna sat up more, and moved off the bed slowly. His head was spinning, but he wasn't going to give up. He stood up straight. ~I can stand...I'll be able to do things on my own.~ He stepped forward, but lost his balance and fell to the side. "Ow..."

~"Whatever happened to 'Do Safe Things'?"~

~You can speak to me?~

~"Of course. So why dontcha get back in bed, eh? It could benefit you as much as me, even though I am you."~

~I can move...I need to stop burdening KT! It's only fair that I care for myself.~

~"Tsk, kid! You're missin' the big picture, here. You're going to kill yourself if you try to do anything at this point. Kera-Taka has been placed with you for a reason. She's your Guarding Angel, kid. She'll always be there to help you, no matter what."~

"To-shi! What are you doing, are you alright?" She knelt down to him. He grabbed onto her, and cried. "I'm sorry, KT! I wanted to do things myself, but I can't! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"

She sighed. "It's only natural. You're a restless pre-teen." She stood up, and helped him up. "Look sharp, you're coming home with me today!"

(5 minute lapse)

"Tsuna, where's the supply box?"

"She said she left it at the nurse's station," he called back. He heard her frustrated sigh from the bathroom. He giggled. "Are you laughing at me?" KT said stepping out from the other room. "N-noo..." he said, still giggling. She went back in.

"I would have tickled you until you wet yourself by now...Buut..." Tsuna could hear in the smirk in her voice. ~Is that good or bad?~

"I don't know, it depends. Do you want to wet yourself?"

"Nooo...not really."

"I'll get you eventually."

KT walked out wearing Jeans and a purple T-shirt. "I'll go get the stuff, get a wheel-chair, and then the bus will haul us home."

"Alright, but do I really have to use a-" Her stare cut him off. "Chair..." She walked out of the room. ~"Ha! Wheelchair. So you are playing it safe, huh?"~

Tsuna grumbled under his breath. ~"OW! What the Hell? That hurt!"~

~What hurt?~

~"Did you not just mentally throw a rock at me?"~

~It worked? Whoa!~

~"Dammit that hurt!"~

Tsuna laughed meniacly as KT walked in with the chair and supplies. "Are you...okay?" She asked, almost laughing. Tsuna blushed deeply.

"I...I..."

KT smiled. "Hit him again, harder next time."

~"WHAT! WHOSE SIDE IS SHE ON ANYWAY!"~

~Obviously, mine!~

"Neither, but if I hear another idiotic comment, I just might have to slap you myself."

~"Ooh... that's cold."~

"Ready to go, To-shi?"

"Mhm."

She lifted him from the bed and placed him in the wheelchair. ~"Pffft! HAHA I'm sorry, but you're being lifted by a girl! HAHAHAHA-OUCH! DAMNIT STOP THAT!"~

Tsuna snickered. KT set the supply box on his lap. "Hold, please."

~"You know, if I could do that to you-"~

"My head hurts..." Tsuna said in a whine, almost sporting a devious smirk.

"It's the air...too much sick smell. It's time to get out of here, then." She turned the chair around and headed out the door.

The siren of an ambulance was blaring when KT and Tsuna arrived out front He winced slightly. ~Only 5 days ago those sirens were mine...5 days ago...~

"You're right but don't dwell on it too much, now. It's all over. We're going home..."

"Yeah...home...Oh, is that tree still there?"

KT laughed. "Yes, actually. They didn't cut it down yet. We can go visit once you're settled in."

"Okay, sounds fun..." Tsuna closed his eyes. The bus pulled up and an assistant walked down the bus's steps. "I'll load him up, just bring him here..."

"Alright, thank you..."

A platform extended and then dropped from the side of the vehicle. KT set the wheelchair on the platform and it hoisted up the chair. "Time to go home."

The bus drove the Namimori streets in the mid-day rush. Tsuna was staring out the window. "You okay, To-shi?" KT asked. He turned to look at her. "Yeah...I was just thinking back to the tree and how we met..."

She smiled. "Can't believe how long ago it was...the old tree down the block..."

Tsuna smiled. "You've been my best friend ever since then...I remember, it was a summer day when the skies were all cloudy, but it was still really hot out..."

~Flashback~

Clouds filled the sky as the humidity sky rocketed one summer day. Kids were playing outside with their parents. Tsuna was walking down the street towards home, gripping a bag of candy he'd received. He was chewing on some bubble gum happily. "Kirakira hikaru, osora no hoshi yo, mabataki shite wa, minna o miteru, kirakira hikaru, osora no hoshi yo." He sang Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. From behind him, he heard a noise, and turned. There stood Ty, his own personal bully. "What's in the bag, Dame-Tsuna?"
"N-Nothing!"
"Candy, maybe? Hand it over!"
"No! It's my candy, you can't have it!"
"You really are stupid, aren't you? I said, give me the candy!"
"No!"
Ty took a step forward, and Tsuna flinched. "GIVE IT!"
"AHHH!" Tsuna yelled. He turned and ran down the street. Ty ran after him. "GET BACK HERE DAME!" Tsuna, already tired, looked around for a place to hide. A tree, easyish to climb, was the only thing he saw. He ran and grabbed onto the tree and climbed all the way up. Ty stopped and looked around. "He got away? I'll find him..." He continued to run down the street, away from the tree. Tsuna sighed in relief. ~I'm safe...and so is my candy!~
A few hours passed and Tsuna had fallen asleep in the tree. Rain drops had begun to fall. At that same time, a girl of the age of eleven was walking down the street. She stopped under the shielding branches of the tree. A piece of candy fell from Tsuna's bag and hit her on the head. "Watch it!" She said and looked up. She then noticed Tsuna asleep in the tree. "Hey! Hello, wake up!" She grabbed a stone from the ground and threw it up into the tree. He woke up, and jolted. He fell from the branch he was perched on. "Whoops," the girl said. She knelt down to Tsuna. "Are you okay?"
He looked at her, tears in his eyes. "Ehhh...I-I'm okay..."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. What were you doing in a tree, anyway?"
"I had to get away from Ty...He wanted my candy."
"Ty? Is he a bully?"
"Mhm...he's my bully..."
"Oh..." She straightened up her shirt. "Well, my name's Kera-Taka. What's yours?"
"Tsunayoshi...but you can call me Tsuna."
"Nice to meet you, Tsuna."
She put a hand out to him to take. He grabbed hold, and got up. "Thanks..."
"How old are you, Tsuna?"
"Six...How old are you?"
"I'm 10...You're very young, why are you being bullied in school?"
"They don't think I'm smart like they are, I can't do anything right...You don't think that, do you Kera-Taka?"
"Not at all, you seem very smart."
Something hit Tsuna in the back of the head. "There you are, Dame-Tsuna! I want my candy now!"
"Uwah!" He held the back of his head and sat on the ground, his eyes wet with tears. KT stood.

"Hey! Leave him alone!"
"What's this, Dame? Got a girl fighting for you now?" He threw another rock at Tsuna's head. Ty grabbed the fallen bag of candy and took off. KT sighed. "Stupid boy..." She looked at Tsuna again, who was crying painfully. "Let me see, Tsuna..." She knelt down again. He moved his hand away so she could see. "It's just a small bump...I think you're going to be okay."
He stopped crying and wiped his eyes. "Th-thank you for-for scaring Ty away..."
"No problem...You know, for a boy, you're not very obnoxious."
"Ob...noxious? What's that?"
"It means annoying...You're not annoying."
"Oh...my mama tells me I'm... ob-noxious...all the time."
KT frowned. "She does? Why?"
"I dunno...Ever since papa left, she got mean. When she says shes okay to people on the phone, I know mama's not...and it's all my fault."
"Don't say that. Don't blame yourself for anything. You're a good boy, you don't do anything bad, do you?"
"I...I don't know! Mama says I was a...A-assident."
KT grabbed onto Tsuna and hugged him. "You're not an accident, Tsuna...you're a gift...don't forget that...I'll be your best friend, and I'll protect you, no matter what. I promise."
Tsuna felt comfortable in her grip, her aroma, her warmth. "I'll be your best friend too..." His voice was soft and faded away with the wind.

~End of flashback~

The bus pulled up to KT's house. Tsuna was unloaded, while KT was tipping the driver for his services. She walked over and took the handles of the wheelchair. "Thanks again," she called out. The man waved, and the bus pulled away. "Are you ready?"
"Yep...I'm ready."
KT unlocked and opened the garage door, then wheeled him through to her door. She opened it. "Welcome home," She said as she pushed him through. "Wow...I haven't been here since I was little," Tsuna said. "It's so different."
"Yeah, I tweaked it over the past few years...I still have a spot for you to sleep, though it's better now than a sleeping bag." She brought him over to a nicely furnished bed. "I think you'll be comfortable. It's one of those foam beds." She removed him from the wheelchair and placed him on the bed. He relaxed into it, feeling safer. "And I thought the hospital bed felt good," he said. "That doesn't compare to this."
KT sat on the bed next to him. "I'm not trying to be a parent to you...I just want you to be cared for, you know?""Thanks...I understand." He looked down. "Kera-Taka...um...I need to tell you something..."
"What is it, To-shi?"
"I've never told anyone this, but...There's a truth to my Father's disappearance. He didn't just run away or up and leave..."
KT stared in shock. "W-hat? A truth to your Father's disappearance?"
"Mhm...you see..."

~Flashback~

"I can't believe you, again you have to get transferred somewhere else! I swear, our son will be seeing stars by the time we actually settle down somewhere!"
"I'm sorry that my co-workers are assholes, really, I am! But I don't want people after me, especially since we have Tsuna!"
Tsuna was sitting on the floor chewing on a teething toy. His parents continued to go back-and-forth until a decision was made. "I am taking him, and leaving! I have had it, Iemitsu!" Nana, his mother, grabbed him tight. "Goodbye." She turned and walked to the door holding her purse. Tsuna stared at his father over her shoulder. "Bye-bye pa-pa..."

Tsuna and his mother stayed at a motel that night. Nana was constantly on the phone, trying to get some sort of legality order. Tsuna fell asleep to his mother singing to him softly, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. He dreamed of a world full of colors and shapes, and his parents both happy as could be. In his dreams, he knew his father wasn't a bad person, he was just overly protective. When morning had come, he had awoke to his mother saying, "Tsu-kun, we're going to go home to get your things while your father is at work, okay?"
"O-okay mama..."

Nana parked in the driveway. "Go inside and look around one more time, Tsu-kun...say goodbye to the house." She unstrapped him from his car seat and carried him inside. She set him down, and he tottered away. "Bye-bye housey," he said as he climbed the stairs. Tsuna walked down the hallway to his room. He pushed the door open, unknowing of what was on the other side. His father stood beyond the door, his own head at gunpoint. He stared at Tsuna. "Pa...pa..."
"Goodbye...son."
And he pulled the trigger.
"Papa...Papa! PAPA!"

~End of flashback~

"He broke his own heart...and decided to kill himself. I watched as he chose his way of re-assembling his life..." Tears glistened in the dark. KT held him as he cried. He saw his own father commit suicide...what a burden to live with such a memory, and never tell anyone about it..."I'm sorry, Tsuna..so, so sorry..."