Disclaimer: I do not own Katekyo Hitman Reborn, Akira Amano does.

Gosh, I am so sorry for the delay, I was dealing with family matters and this chapter just did not want to be written. So sorry for that and I hope you enjoy.

Life had calmed down to crawl, the weather seeming more like a snowball as the days went by. Tsuna had very reluctantly come to terms that this was his life now and even more that he enjoyed learning and helping the annoyances in his life.

And winter was when, Tsuna met his next ghost

"So," Tsuna drawled casually leaning against the wall, hands in his pockets, eyes slipping to and fro between the apparition and the deceptively frail flakes drifting over the town. "How did you die?" wouldn't this be a conversation to see? A willowy man asking a wall how it died, priceless.

This ghost for one was a woman standing tall, proud holding a unique kind of beauty. Short black hair framing her face as she smiled softly. Squinting Tsuna noticed a small figure on the woman's cheek- to him it looked akin to a clover.

The woman seemed to radiate warmth and understanding despite the frigid cold surrounding them – or well him. He still wasn't sure if weather affected his undead companions – her white dress fluttering from the wind.

She continued to smile politely as, Tsuna barraged her with questions, silence a constant comrade. That was fine with him though, not everyone wanted to talk, but he wasn't going to abandon her in suppressing silence forever. It never did anyone good Tsuna knew that all too well his, mother a victim of self-decided torture. Shuffling as close as he considered appropriate. Tsuna spoke eyes a warm blaze. "You may not wish to tell me now, but eventually," or rather he hoped that she would eventually tell him of her death. After all, Tsuna was rather fond of helping ghosts that went astray. "I hope to learn more about your story."

The ghost parted a wave of her hand and a wistful smile staying in her wake. Tsuna wanted nothing more than to reach out and plea for her to stay, but that was not his to ask.

There next meeting was still in the bitter clutches of winter with Tsuna, squished under layer after layer of coats, groceries in hand plotting both the resurrection and death of Byakuran – he could've been like any other norma- er supernatural thing and not thrust him out into the unforgiving cold but no he just had to torture him. Tsuna was so going to burn his marshmallows- it was only fair.

The ghost came along and stopped him from falling with a steady hand warm smile still gracing her pale features. Tsuna blinked, but passed her a grateful tilt of his head as he struggled to balance the groceries in one hand and the weight of multiple jackets on his person- seriously, where did his mother get so many? -he toddled home rambling as he went, not really expecting answers. "So does weather even bother you? Or like do you stop feeling warmth and cold?" Tsuna wrinkled his nose trying to jostle a stray snowflake off. "Because that would be wonderful not having to suffer through what god 'dubbed' winter." He huffed in annoyance when the small flake didn't budge. His companion gliding after him, her shoulders shaking with silent laughter at Tsuna's battle against a snowflake.

"Haha, laugh it up you're not the one being assaulted by a snowflake," Tsuna said lips twitching up in mirth, it felt nice acting like this even if the conversation is one-sided.

A few blocks later- as well as the rescues courtesy of his reserved helper – they arrived a street away from his home wind slapping his face nipping at his cheeks till they were cherries and mussing up the already unruly mass he called his hair. Turning to face his silent keeper to say his thanks he fell short the apparition vanishing before he could get a word out.

Crestfallen Tsuna walked home, pausing before he reached for the door and looked out at the street uttering a grateful "Thanks for the help today!" before he slipped inside.

Their third encounter consisted of Tsuna blowing a fuse, Takeshi adding fuel to the fire, and Byakuran – ahem! Devil in disguise – being the instigator he is and Ryohei oblivious to it all. It was not an ideal meeting in the least and Tsuna felt bad that the ghost had to be subjected to psycho's he called his companions. Though to his eminence horror and joy, she seemed to take it all in stride a knowing gleam in her eyes as her gaze shifted to Byakuran who in return smirked.

Tsuna felt dread well up inside him why did Byakuran have to know the nice lady? He was evil!

"Tsunayoshi what stray did you bring in now?" was Byakuran's oh-so-splendid question catching the attention of everyone in the vicinity. It did not slip his mind that the menace used 'Tsunayoshi' instead of the customary 'Tsu-chan' it did not bode well with him.

"But she's not an animal so how did Tsuna bring in a stray?" that was what Takeshi thought was wrong with this whole situation?

And then finally Ryohei. "She should Extremely stay! The more the merrier."

The hour after with his idiots acting up a storm and the new ghost in their group had him banging his head into a wall as Takeshi – wonderful, wonderful Takeshi – joked about it. "Maa Tsuna you shouldn't do that, you just might die." He's joking was not appreciated in the least.

After everything with the lot of them slinking off to god knows where – except Byakuran he knew were the creep was – Tsuna, sat down on the steps outside his house an apologized. "Look, I know they're annoying and I mean annoying and I wanted to apologize for how crazy they can be. I really hope they won't scare you off," them scaring off anyone normal in his life was becoming a normal occurrence and Tsuna was starting to think they were doing it on purpose – the store attendant never saw them coming. "So sorry for that and I'm not sure if you heard me a couple days ago, but thanks for the grocery help."

She was still smiling arms wrapped around her legs as she nodded white dress still present. As he paused to breathe, she spoke voice small polite- well what he could make out of it. "Luce,"

'Lace' continued on in something that sounded nothing more than gibberish before she laughed, loud and free as she clearly noticed his confused expression. Gesturing to herself with one hand, she repeated 'Luce' and just as quick as his confusion came it left, embarrassment taking its place. It was her name and Tsuna had never felt more stupid – okay, he has, but that was for another time – smiling stupidly Tsuna copied the gesture and said "Tsuna. And it's wonderful finally meeting you Luce!"

She giggled again eyes becoming crescents before she waved and vanished.

So maybe her story would be harder to understand, but he was happy he knew her-Luce's name now and that was something. Now to figure out that language...

Yes, Tsuna was starting to enjoy his life now.