In the short time he had before leaving to the Millefiore base, Gokudera had really stepped up. I mean, after I saw how well he took it after finding out that we were married in the future, I thought that he would only step into that role, but surprisingly, considering his hatred of children that is, he had also tried to step up for our son, and I must admit he was doing pretty good. I would know too, because Arashi never left my sight for an instant, and when I was sleeping, I had everyone, mostly Bianchi or Hayato, watch over him.

"You know, it's ok now to be so watchful, but you should back off a bit as he gets older," Gokudera told me one night.

If anyone else had told me that, I probably would have punched them through a wall or two, "If anyone else had told me that, I probably would have punched them through a wall or two, but because you told me, I'll work on that. Later of course,"

He rolled his eyes, knowing that I probably wouldn't, "Sure, sure,"

"Hey, can you promise me one thing?" I asked quietly, almost too afraid to ask him, "Can you please try to keep yourself in one piece? I can't stand to see you hurt, so please try, for me and for Arashi,"

He took in my doe-eyed expression, "You know that'll be a tall order, but I'll try,"

I hugged him as tightly as I could, "Oh thank you! Oh, and when you go back to your present, please, please, please don't tell me how we end up, That would probably send me running. I mean, if I ask and I really want to know, go ahead and tell me, but don't just blurt it out,"

"If I can even get back," He reminded me.

I smiled at him, "Well, if you're stuck here, at least you have us,"

"But wouldn't that mess up us getting to this point?" He dumbed it down for me.

"Probably, but that's also how I know that everything will work out in the end. I mean, this might become some alternate future thing like in comic books, but you will get back regardless of what the future holds," I smiled at him and hugged him tightly, "But either way, I will always love you,"

He grumbled, "Yeah, yeah,"

I laughed, "And this is exactly why. But, say that you were stuck here, what would you do?"

He ran his fingers through his hair, "What else can I do? I'll be there for my family,"

I twirled his hair in my fingers and smiled coyly, "I didn't ask about your job. That is a surefire thing. I meant me,"

I could tell that he wanted to ask about his future with the Vongola, but he put me first, "My answer goes both ways. I will do what the 10th tells me to do, and I will be there for Arashi. But you, you will be the driving force behind my every thought and movement and breath,"

I could tell that that was one of the hardest things for him to say, but that made it mean so much more, "For the 10th's right-hand man, that is quite the spectacular answer, and as my husband that is the best thing I could hear,"

His eyes lit up excitedly, "You mean that I become the 10th's right-hand man?!"

I chuckled, "Wasn't it obvious? You were the only one who wanted the job. Or, at least, you were the only one who voiced that wish the most. Honestly, it was very annoying at times,"

"So I only got the job because I begged for it?" He looked down.

I rolled my eyes, "That's not what I meant. You earned the job fair and square, I was just stating it for your current age,"

"You say that now," He leered playfully at me.

"Oh yes, it is my goal in life to lie to you and ruin your life, you caught me," I scoffed.

He laughed at me and then kissed me, "I thought this was your goal in life,"

I kissed him back, "You better mean loving you and nothing else, or else your a dead man,"

He smirked at me, and kissed me again, "Why don't we define your meaning?"

I wanted to, but something wouldn't quite let me, "Arashi...."

He looked over at our son alseep in his crib, "It's not like he'll remember if he wakes up, but I suppose a night with his aunt won't be so bad,"

"I'll be waiting," I said as I got up and grabbed my baby.

I blow him a kiss as I headed for Bianchi's room. I found her just outside my room, so that was conveinet for me. Or not, because it seemed that she was looking for her brother. She looked stressed, but managed to forced a smile smile for Arashi's sake.

"It's time. They started early," She whispered, terror lining her fearless face.

I sighed, upset about my lost moment, but I quickly turned around to get Hayato, "It's time for you to go,"

He blinked at me, in the process of removing his shirt, "Are you kidding me?"

I adjusted my baby in my arms and frowned at my future husband, "I really wish I was,"

He put his shirt back on, "So, this may be the last time we see each other like this,"

I smiled at him, "I know,"

He kissed me, not a rough kiss like normal, but a soft, slow, tender kiss that knocked my socks off and told me that he loved me forever, "I guess this is it then,"

"Hey, remember your promise, and that we love you," I said, smiling at both of my boys as Gokudera ran off to join the 10th.

He waved without looking back at me, but I didn't blame him, because after all, he is a man. I smiled at my sleeping angel and put him back in the crib so he could sleep. Even though I wasn't tired, I laid in my bed my cried myself to sleep, facing the invisible imprint of my husband.

Not two hours later, Arashi woke me up, crying for me. I was up before his second breath, and had him in my arms by the time he drew in that breath. He slowed down but didn't stop crying once my arms were around him. I carried him from the room to the kitchen. Haru and Kyoko were already awake, moving around to keep busy. They beamed when Arashi and I entered the kitchen.

"Oh, did we wake him?" Haru asked the impossible.

I shook my head, "I think that he just misses his father,"

"Yeah, we miss them too, but we'll work hard until they return," Kyoko told me.

I wondered what story they had told the girls. Well, it wasn't my problem. I had bigger things to care about, not to say that I wasn't concerned with the safety and success of this mission. Yes, I'd say that my nerves were evenly skewed. And that would last until we found out the success of the mission.

That's how I spent my time, worrying about my husband, caring for our son, shaking while I waited to hear from my brother in Italy, and crying every few minutes at the lack of news on either end. Even though it upset me, I was glad that they made me stay back out of the loop. I eventually had to have Bianchi and Fuuta and the girls take care Arashi, because I was just too stressed to handle it. I knew I could have done better, being what I was, but I think that every time that I ever wanted to break down but didn't caught up to me. I was just glad that Arashi is too young to remember me like this. I just hoped that something would happen to calm me down, besides the mild sedatives.

Sorry it took so long! I was having that acursed WB, and I was busy writing other KHR fics, like the completed "Father Varia" where the Varia become fathers, and the still being written "Kiss Me You Silly Boy", my first yaoi fic with both 6927 and 8059.....