A week passed and still Gokudera hadn't gotten a call from Phoenix and he was starting to worry. He had half decided to call the number he had been given when his phone rang, the caller ID flashed "Blocked Number." and Gokudera quickly answered.

"Phoenix?"

A cold male laugh comes across the line.

"See now that's just cute."

"What...who are you?"

"Oh, I am no one and everyone."

"Are you with Phoenix?"

"Yes and no. It depends on your outlook."

"What the hell are you talking about!"

"Hmm, oh nothing. I'm just trying to confuse you for long enough for my people to kidnap Tsuna. Now if you would just give me ten grand or your boss sleeps with the fishes tonight."

Gokudera laughs.

"Yeah right. You wouldn't be able to touch a hair on Juudaime's head. And who the fuck says, "Sleeps with the fishes" anymore? Fucker, you're not in the fucking Mafia so stop acting like you are. You'll have him sleep with the fishes? Oh Yea? Well I'll have you sleeping with the fucking LIONS if you ever get NEAR Juudaime! YA GOT THAT!"

The man laughs again.

"See now you are making no sense...tsk tsk. You really shouldn't let your anger get to you like that or something bad might happen to little Tsuna." The man talks to Gokudera like he was talking to a child and it pisses Gokudera off. "And I say "Sleeping with the fishes" because my parents used to say it before they died.

Gokudera felt his anger abate slightly when the man mentioned that both his parents were dead.

"They're both dead? I'd feel sorry for you if you weren't threatening Juudaime's life."

"Your concern is touching; now give me that ten grand before I start cutting off figures...Okay?"

"Shut the fuck up! I just checked up on him. He's sleeping in his fucking bed, so go fuck yourself! Why the fuck do you want ten grand for anyway? Can't you just be like that crazy woman and be satisfied with stalking me or some shit?"

"Why would I be interested in stalking you? Was Phoenix? Well she always was a strange one. But please, don't lump me in with that traitor. I am ten times stronger than that sentimental idiot will ever be. And as for your boss still sleeping, all that means is that my mean failed this time...I am going to have to punch them. Oh well, Tsuna will get what's coming to him just you wait."

Gokudera sighs.

"No, she wasn't content with just stalking me! I haven't heard from her in ages." A moment later and the words sunk in. "HOLY FUCK! YOU'RE A PART OF THAT FAMIGIL?" The memory of his conversation with Phoenix fills Gokudera's mind. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER! Tch, you're not getting anywhere near Juudaime! I'll deal with you later, but right now...Where's Phoenix! You bastards better not have killed her! TELL ME DAMN IT!"

"Aww, is little Hayato worried about his girlfriend?" The man laughs, for a moment he sounded Hispanic. "You know, it's funny. Phoenix used to be a ruthless killer and then after one short conversation with you she's back to the girl I knew in foster care. Weak...spineless...an easy target. "

The glee was obvious in the man's voice. Gokudera chuckles

"Girlfriend, yeah-fucking-right. Phoenix is a tough girl, she's not spineless. And being ruthless doesn't mean you don't have a conscience. I've been there. But sometimes all you need is someone who can treat you like a human in order to trigger all the emotions you bottled off. Including your conscience."

Gokudera hears a chuckle.

"Yes, because it's that simple, oh but don't you worry you're little teenage head, I'm sure she still alive somewhere. She was always good at getting out of sticky situations. But when I do find her, and I will, I'll tell her you were worried about her as I slit her throat...maybe I'll do that in front of Tsuna."

Gokudera's anger flares, this man was an ally of Phoenix and from the sound of it he knew her for a long time and yet he was threatening her.

"I fucking swear, if you so much as touch her, I'll personally see to it that the Vongola shows no mercy towards your puny little Famiglia. Juudaime wouldn't stand for shit like this. And neither will I."

"You see the fact that-Oh will you look at the time, I have better things to do then talk to you, Hayato Gokudera." The smirk is clear in his voice. "I will be in touch."

Before Gokudera could respond the line went dead. Gokudera stared at his phone before throwing it across the room.

"DAMN IT!" He drops down on his bed and covers his eyes. "What the hell is going on here?"

He sighs angrily and curls up on his bed, fully intent on going to sleep. His mind quiets and right when he is on the edge of sleep, his phone rang again. After two rings it stopped and Gokudera sighs.

"Probably a wrong number." He thinks as he stretches out on the bed "This has been a rea-"

Gokudera's thoughts are cut off by a new sound, there was a song playing somewhere in his apartment. Gokudera stands and tries to identify the source, trying to figure out the which song it was, it is obviously a rock song and it is in English but before he can identify anything else the sound cuts off and there is silence for a second before it picks up again. Gokudera traces the sound to a small package sitting just inside his door; he opens it and finds a small, black flip phone nestled into white tissue paper.

"What the?"

The screen on front lights up and a single, black word flashed against the green screen, "Phoenix." Gokudera's eye's widened and he quickly picks up the phone, flipping it open.

"Phoenix?"

"About damn time!"

Phoenix breathed deeply and Gokudera can faintly hear a man saying "We can rest here, should be safe".

"What...I don't understand...You gave me a phone?"

"What's to understand? I gave you a direct line to me, it's easier than any other plan we came up with. Add in what I just found out and we really didn't have another option."

"What? What did you find out?"

"There's a second assassin after Tsuna and he's not gonna have a change of heart." Phoenix took a deep breath and Gokudera wonders for the first time if she had been running from her family. "My former family is the O-Loughlin Crime Family. From what I can figure they want to kill Tsuna for some...grudge thing the Boss has."

And laughing voice called to Phoenix.

"Yeah, you know all about grudges don't you Boss!"

Phoenix laughs and tells the man to shut up. Her laugh sent shivers down Gokudera's spine, it was a light sound, quick and quiet but something about it seemed...wrong.

"Anyway the assassin's code name is "Reaper" but his legal name is Cesar. Do not take him lightly, he will kill anyone who gets in his way and he won't care if they are mafia or not. They get in his way and they die. You need to get Tsuna out of town now, you can't beat Reaper. Trust me."
Silence hangs in the air for a second as the new information makes its way into Gokudera's mind.

"ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS? Well, shitshitshitshitshit." Gokudera stands suddenly" Don't worry, Phoenix, I can do this. I have to gather up all my weapons right now and I'll head over to Juudaime's house ASAP. Fuck I have to call up Yamamoto, that lawn-head and even Hibari. And here I was about to go to sleep." Gokudera runs through his apartment finding everything he figured he'd need for the upcoming fight. He hears Phoenix chuckle slightly but this laugh was different than the one he heard earlier, this laugh was like her voice. Rough yet feminine. "Phoenix...Thank you. Stay safe! In fact you can meet me at Juudaime's house. You'll be safe with us. I promise..."

"Safe, right..." Disbelief rings through her voice. "Listen, I appreciate the offer but-"

Phoenix fall silent and Gokudera is able to hear a reverberating bang, metal hitting metal.

"Phoenix?"

"Sorry Gokudera, I'm not going to be going to your Bosses house." A crash sounds and many yelling voices can be heard. "Sorry kid gotta go, call ya when I can."

The line goes dead and Gokudera fells worry begins to grow in his chest, this person was risking her own neck to help them.

"She called me Kid..." Annoyance sparks and Gokudera scowls. "I'm not a kid..."