AN: Sorry for the late update, guys. I kinda ditched this lot for Doctor Who. I've been doing a DW marathon since like...the last day of June. So, I've been kinda focused on that and research about the 2ps as well as some family stuff.

Anywho, how was everyone's fourth (For the US people reading this!) and how was Canada Day? Gotta be better than mine was. Canada Day was awesome at my cousins' place, but the fourth...I had to come home. And it was the same as every year. Fighting, and a lot of laziness. But that's how that went, oh well, moving on. Happy late birthday to Canada and America!

Is it sad that my group's Canada forgot about Canada Day when he looked at the calendar and saw it marked the night before? Poor guy...I teased him 'bout it, though. Great fun, that was!

..and I've been watching too much Doctor Who. I've started talking like a Londoner...which is great for cosplay and all, but it's highly annoying here in Georgia..'cause outside my cousins and aunt, I'm the only one in my family who has anywhere close to a British accent of any sort, so they poke fun at it.

Anywho...

To those who reviewed:

HeroinOfDarkness: Is that a good thing? I hope it is...

Enjoy.

The following morning turned out to be much slower than the group would have liked. Vash came in, toting Lili with him again, though, and it made Lovino raise an eyebrow.

Vash shrugged. "I gotta keep an eye on her."he said softly.

Lovino raised an eyebrow as Vash sat down with them, Lili getting up and moving to sit with Lovino.

Silence filled the group up until Gilbert ran up from where he had wandered off to do something earlier. "Mattie, you have to come see this!"he called out, his voice bright and loud. He stopped short when he noticed Lili was there again. He looked to Vash before he skirted around Lovino and Lili and sat down. "Nevermind."he mumbled.

Matthew smiled faintly and kissed his cheek.

Vash smiled in thanks when Gilbert calmed down.

Lili looked up at Lovino and spoke softly. "Can we go to the park after school?"she asked softly.

Lovino gave her a soft smile. "It's raining, Lili."he said. "If it's not raining after school, we'll discuss it with Vash, okay?"

Lili nodded and settled down again.

Lovino looked up at Vash and shook his head in amusement.

Vash gave a faint smile. "She's been stuck inside for a while. I don't like her being out and about if I'm not with her...so much could happen to her."

Lovino nodded in agreement. "Why do you think I used to leave Feli with you?"

Feliciano frowned. "Which wasn't fair, Lovi. I wanted to help you!"he said.

"And the one time you came close to trying, it nearly got us both shot."Lovino pointed out. "I did what I did for a reason, Feli, point blank. You were better off staying with Vash while I was gone."

Lili looked between the two Italians before her voice struck down the argument that was about to happen. "Why did you leave Feli with big brother?"she asked.

Lovino froze at her innocent voice. He thought it through, finding a way to answer without lying or ruining her innocence. "I got involved in the wrong crowd a while back. I had to protect him. Just like Vash does for you."

Raivis met Lovino's eyes and picked up from there. "But, even so, it helped him become who he is today."he said.

Lili looked over at him curiously before she nodded and the topic was dropped.

Vash picked Lili back up when the group had to go to first block. "I'll see you guys at lunch."he said softly. "Wiedersehen."

Antonio walked with Lovino again, holding onto one of his hands.

Lovino spoke softly. "I didn't expect to have that conversation this morning.."he commented.

Antonio gave a soft smile. "I didn't expect to hear it."he admitted. "But you handled it wonderfully."

The two stopped outside of Lovino's classroom and Lovino spoke. "You know that if I'm not careful, she'll become a target, right? Vash knows, it's why he keeps such a sharp eye out when he has her with him anywhere. And now that the mafia knows that Vash is Feli and my brother as well...they're both targets."

Antonio shook his head. "Nothing will happen. To either of them."he promised. "They matter to you...and that's enough for me to protect them with my life."

Lovino hugged Antonio tightly. "Thank you, Toni..."he mumbled into the Spaniard's shoulder. "I don't want them to get hurt..."

Antonio sighed. "Listen..if you can't deal with things today, text me, let me know. I'll tell Vash and Feli and we'll leave for the day. Get out of this town for a while, just go sightseeing. Anything to help."

Lovino pulled back to look at Antonio. He smiled softly. "Thank you."he said again softly. "But they have to come. I've promised Feli and Lili that if I ever go sightseeing, I'd take them too."

Antonio nodded. "Perfectly understandable."he said, stealing a kiss and letting Lovino go into his class while he left for his own class.

Things were out of pattern for the group that day.

Lovino was tired come lunch and immediately collapsed against Antonio, who caught him before he hit the ground and kissed his forehead. "I think someone needs a nap."

Lili watched this with wide, curious eyes.

As soon as Lovino was asleep, Vash spoke. "He okay?"he asked.

Antonio nodded. "I think that the memories that are trying to come forward are taking a lot out of him. I've seen this happen with Raiv and Tor as well.."

Vash sighed and nodded. "We have to figure a way to finish this..without starting a war of some sort."

Matthew spoke up. "We could always just press charges."

Vash shook his head. "Remember last time?"

Matthew sighed. "Worth a shot."

Lili spoke. "Has someone hurt him?"she asked, looking up at Vash.

Vash looked lost on what to say, so Toris spoke up. "Yes. Someone has hurt him, very badly. And we're fixing it, okay, kiddo?"

Lili looked over at him before looking at Lovino with a small frown. "He'll be okay though, right? He's perfectly safe here...right?"

Vash's frown told volumes, but he spoke softly. "Lili, do you remember what you learned about in history yesterday? The air raids and stuff from the second World War?"he asked.

Lili nodded.

"Well, it's that kind of situation. We never know if we're going to make it. But I promise you, we're going to try our hardest to make sure everyone in this group is safe and okay at the end."Vash said.

Lili smiled faintly and nodded in acceptance. "Can I help, big brother?"

Vash grinned. "'Course you can."he said. "In fact, you play a crucial role in this. Summer's soon. You're going to help us all talk Lovino into going out of town with us for a while, somewhere safe."

Lili nodded in understanding.

After that, things settled. A few of the others seemed surprised at how the situation had ended up, but nobody said anything about it.

Okay, meanwhile, I'm still smelling gunpowder from the fireworks not long ago..and I have the sound of the Londonblitz bombings echoing in my head from my Doctor Who marathon earlier today...gah, I hate that.