Gokudera sees Phoenix freeze but as he hasn't left the room yet he can't see why.
"What happened? What did she see?"
Reaper points the gun at Phoenix.
"Bang."
Phoenix flinches and bites the inside of her cheek. Gokudera has now left the room and can see Reaper holding a gun at Phoenix.
"That…ASSHOLE!"
Reaper laughs and tosses the gun to Phoenix, who doesn't even try to catch it.
"Come on Phoenix, I'm giving you a chance to escape here."
Gokudera's eyes widen at Reapers words.
"What the…"
He quickly picks up the gun and trains it on Reaper.
"What sick joke are you playing at Reaper?"
Reaper raises an eyebrow as Gokudera glares at him.
"Well are you going to shoot or not?" Gokudera glances at Phoenix and see's that she has her eyes closed and looks as if she's concentrating on something. "Well Hayato." The older man walks up to Hayato and places the gun to his forehead. "Are you going to shoot or not?"
Gokudera turns his eyes back to Reaper.
"Sorry Aydan."
He pulls the trigger and fires.
Reaper laughs at Gokudera's expression as the gun just clicks.
"You didn't honestly think that I would give you a loaded gun did you?" Reaper wrenches the gun out of Hayato's hand and pulls a clip out of his pocket, placing it in the gun and cocking it. "Now it's loaded. See."
Reaper points to the ceiling and fires, causing Phoenix to flinch violently and wrap her arms around herself. Gokudera grinds his teeth.
"That was a dick move Reaper." He glances over to see Phoenix wrap her arms around herself and quirks and eyebrow before looking at the gun. "Stop it. Stop it right now."
"No." Reaper unloads the clip into the ceiling and Phoenix falls to the floor covering her ears. Reaper loads another clip. "Seen enough?"
Gokudera hurls himself at Reaper and punches him in the jaw.
"She doesn't like it damn it!"
"It's not that she doesn't like it." Reaper hits Gokudera with the gun. "Is it Phoenix?"
The red-haired teen looks up with an expression of pure terror written across her face.
"Please…Cesar…."
Gokudera doesn't stop his attacks.
"Fuck…OFF!"
Reaper fires the gun, missing Gokudera's foot by inches.
"Phoenix, why don't you tell young Hayato here why I should keep firing."
Gokudera punches Reaper again.
"JUST STOP IT ASSHOLE!" He looks back over to Phoenix. "Don't listen to him Aydan. I can handle him."
Gokudera looks back to Reaper thinking
"He's bound to run out of ammo anytime."
Reaper fires again and Phoenix lets out a blood curdling scream.
"Oh look, results."
Gokudera freezes at the sound of Phoenix's scream and runs over to her. He wraps her in his arms, whispering to her.
"Aydan calm down. I'm right here…" He glares up at Reaper. "I swear I'm going to fucking kill you one day."
Phoenix is visibly shaking.
"Please…no more…no more…"
"Shh, it's okay." Gokudera strokes Phoenix's hair. "I'm here."
Reaper kneels down in front of the couple.
"Phoenix, tell me why I should stop. Give me your reasons. Or I won't ever stop."
He fires the gun again and Phoenix tenses up in Gokudera's arms.
"OKAY! Just…please…stop it…please."
Gokudera grinds his teeth and clenches his fists but keeps his hold on Phoenix.
"You don't have to say anything you don't want to. I'll make the bastard stop one way or another."
Phoenix looks up at Reaper.
"Because I'm afraid. You should stop because I'm terrified."
Gokudera looks at Phoenix in slight shock, she had just admitted to being afraid. Something about what had happened had pushed her over the edge.
"And why are you afraid?"
Reaper fires the gun and Gokudera yells at him.
"JUST FUCKING STOP ALREADY!"
"Because…Because…" Phoenix looks down and Gokudera feels tears hit his arm. "Because I am haunted by my past."
Gokudera can feel his blood pressure rising from Phoenix's tears.
"Calm down Hayato. Aydan needs you right now. You can't lose your cool again…"
He tightens his hold on Phoenix and kisses the top of her head.
"Good girl. That's what I wanted to hear. Oh and I am taking you off torture as a reward for breaking the last guy so fast. Now you get to be a researcher, we both know how much you love that, and the computer should be up later." Reaper lifts Phoenix's chin with the gun. "You should know that your boyfriend isn't always going to be there to protect you from this." Reaper stands. "Well, that's all I came for. Goodbye."
Gokudera gets up after Reaper leaves and punches the wall beside him.
"That…that…Che testa di cazzo ha qualche fiele!"
Phoenix gasps as she tries to get a hold of herself.
"Hayato…"
Gokudera tries to snap out of is and takes a deep breath.
"I-I'm sorry…I couldn't do anything."
"Hayato…I need you…please…"
Phoenix looks up at Gokudera with such a broken expression that he rushes over to her and holds her close, pulling her up onto his lap.
"Me dispiace, Aydan." Gokudera kisses the top of her head. "I'm so sorry."
"Why would he…He knows how I feel…Why?"
Phoenix gives up on trying to hold back the tears and throws her arms around Gokudera's neck crying into his shoulder.
"Because he's a jerk Aydan. I already told you this. He wants to break you and you're just…letting him."
He holds Phoenix tightly and lets her cry.
"I never thought he would do this. I never thought he would use my greatest fear, my worst tragedy, against me. I didn't think he was that far gone." Phoenix tightens her grip on Gokudera. "I didn't think he would ever use a gun against me…He promised me!"
"Why…Why are you afraid of guns?"
"Every time I see one I hear them. The shots that killed my family. Hearing one go off only makes it worse." A choked sob makes its way from Phoenix's throat. "It's a stupid fear for someone with my job I know."
"No, it's not a stupid fear." Gokudera holds Phoenix close. "Tch. That bastard knew this yet…he still did it."
Phoenix nods and begins to cry again. She cries for a time and Gokudera spends the whole time murmuring words of comfort to her. After about five minutes Phoenix finally pulls back.
"I'm sorry…I got your shirt all wet." She wipes her eyes. "I bet I look horrible."
Gokudera shakes his head.
"No, it's fine." He forces a smile. "You always look beautiful, don't worry."
The tanned teen hugs Phoenix closer to his chest.
"Don't you lie to me Hayato Gokudera. Everyone looks bad after crying and I'm no different."
"No, I'm serious. You look beautiful. Your cheeks are all pink and a bit puffy, you look like a strawberry."
Gokudera laughs and Phoenix smiles slightly.
"Don't call me a strawberry. It has been a really long day…but I'm scared to go to sleep…what if my nightmares come back?"
Phoenix was asking herself the question more than anyone but Gokudera answers anyway.
"If they come back, then I'll be right here. I'll be by your side and I'll try to soothe you if you do have them."
"Phoenix places her forehead against Gokudera's.
"What if you can't…what if they don't go away?"
Gokudera pecks Phoenix's lips.
"We'll figure it out." He grabs Phoenix's hand and leads her to the bedroom. "Come on, let's try to rest up. We've been up all night."
Phoenix nods and pulls off her jeans.
"Is breá liom tú Hayato, is mó riamh beidh a fhios agam." She pulls on a pair of PJ pants. "Ní dóigh liom go raibh mé in ann codladh le amach agat anseo. No you are not getting a translation." Gokudera frowns as he thinks "Freaking Gaelic." "Don't you go frowning at my favorite language!"
She pulls the blankets over her head and Gokudera smiles softly as he pulls off his shirt and pants before pulling on a pair of sweats.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." He crawls under the covers and wraps his arms around Phoenix's slim body. "Buonanotte Baby."
Phoenix snuggles closer to Gokudera's chest.
"Oíche mhaith Darling."