Welcome to Lambo's Corner!

I won't take too much of your time so please enjoy the conclusion to For Family.

Warnings: Language, some torture is mentioned, and typical mafia business. Not to mention all the mistakes throughout. As always, I shall go over this at a later time just in case. Thank you, Grammarly!

Enjoy!

Ryohei-

"-and then I told him I was strong but he was too stupid to see it. I was going to show him just how strong Lambo-san is but-"

"We're here!"

Eleven-year-old Lambo stops talking about his day at school the previous day and looks around the musky smelling gym with wide eyes. It's kind of small but it definitely has Ryohei's name written all over it. Especially the beat up punching bags laying in the far corner. There's a boxing ring in the center of it all with two people currently using it.

It doesn't look too busy with only a few people working out but there is a strong sense of camaraderie which Lambo immediately picks up on.

The second Ryohei walks in, the others turn to wave and welcome him back. Anybody could see Ryohei's not just a regular but a friend; a friend who is well respected.

"Good morning, everyone! I see I'm not the only one ready for an EXTREME workout."

Lambo watches as a few teens approach his big brother, all asking him to train with them. The young Lightning Guardian can't help but feel proud at how far Ryohei's come to dealing with other people. He still remembers when Ryohei had wanted Lambo to smile but had instead scared the living daylights out of him. That's a moment he rather forget ever happened.

"Lambo, come here,"

Lambo snaps out of his thoughts and obeys his brother - slowly walking to where the group of teens is still hanging out. Ryohei wraps his arm around the smaller boy's shoulders and introduces him to the group.

"This is my little brother, Lambo. I brought him to train with you guys today."

One of the teens, who's probably no older than thirteen, raises an eyebrow. "Isn't he a little small for this? He might get hurt."

Lambo narrows his eyes but doesn't say anything. Mostly due to his big brother giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze, a warning to behave.

"Kaito-kun, I've told you before size isn't always important. Besides, my brother here has EXTREMELY taken out people much bigger than himself."

Most of the group gives him a disbelieving stare and Lambo loses whatever confidence he has. At eleven years old, Lambo knows he's smaller than normal but he's still growing. Besides, he knows thanks to his training he can take out people these teens couldn't.

"Sasagawa-san, can you help me set up the new equipment, please?"

"I'll be right over!" Ryohei answers then turns back to Lambo, "Go ahead and have fun with the guys. I leave him in your care," Ryohei tells the teens before walking off.

"Are you actually strong or is Sasagawa-san trying to make you look good?" The one Ryohei called Kaito asks.

"My brother doesn't lie," Lambo replies with narrow eyes. It's one thing to believe Lambo is weak but he won't tolerate anyone calling his big brother a liar.

"Then prove it."

Since the boxing ring is being used, the teens decide to have a contest between Kaito and Lambo to see who is better. They take turns challenging each other with the various equipment and are surprised to see Lambo being able to keep up with them. After almost an hour, they end up in a far corner where several ropes are hanging from the ceiling.

"Last one, whoever wins this takes it all." Says another teen.

Lambo looks up at the rope and gulps. He's climbed rope before but because of his slight phobia with heights, it's on his least favorite things to do list. The ropes look to be about ten feet high and Lambo already knows he's going to regret it.

"But Kaito-kun, we're not supposed to use them without a trainer around."

"Stop being a baby, Lee. Are you ready kid, or are you scared too?" Kaito asks Lambo. The eleven-year-old knows Ryohei won't be happy with him if they're not supposed to use them without adult supervision but he can't back down.

"I can't wait to see you crying after you lose,"

Both boys pick a rope and pull on it just to make sure it won't fall. Lee begins to count to three and soon both kids are climbing as fast as they can while the others cheer them on.

Lambo is fast, has to be in order to run away from Hibari but the previous challenges have left him feeling tired. He's sweating as he continues to climb but he's not giving up. He will not have anyone thinking Ryohei is a liar for calling him strong. Kaito is right beside him, looking to be struggling as well but neither refuses to back down.

After a few minutes, Lambo rings the bell above him and sighs. He won. The others are groaning in defeat as they pay up lost bets. Lambo turns to Kaito while trying to catch his breath and tries to smile.

"Nice try, Kaito-kun."

The teen looks like he's about to cry and Lambo wonders why.

"It's not fair, I wanted Sasagawa to see how strong I am. Why did you have to come, huh? Now I have to work extra hard to become better." He says with a sniff. Kaito offers a friendly kick in Lambo's direction.

Lambo knows the other teen didn't mean it, knows Kaito was just playing around but the kick causes Lambo to lose his hold on the rope. His hands are sweaty, his body exhausted, and it all happens in the blink of an eye.

The eleven-year-old doesn't have time to shout before his body hits the mat with a loud thud; the wind knocked out of him in a second. He can kind of make out the cries for help through the loud ringing in his ears but he's not sure. It takes him a few seconds to come to his senses and he groans loudly.

"Lambo!"

That voice he recognizes right away. Lambo knew he'd regret accepting this stupid challenge but at least he'd won.

A pair of arms gently feel around his body, probably to see if anything is broken but Lambo doesn't think anything is. Well, maybe a lung because he sure is having trouble regulating his breathing.

"Can't...breathe…"

"Yes, you can. Come on, Lambo, in through your nose." Ryohei places Lambo against his chest where the young boy can feel him breathing. Lambo can feel his brother's heart beating rapidly but focuses on his breathing for now. "Breathe through the pain, you can do this."

Slowly, Lambo follows the pattern; in, out. In, out. Soon, Lambo sighs and rests against Ryohei already feeling better.

He opens his eyes and is surprised to see a small crowd standing around, some with their phones out and he wonders if anybody captured his magnificent fall.

"Lambo, can you hear me?"

Lambo looks up at Ryohei and blushes. His brother must have been calling his name a couple of times but it barely seems to register with the young boy.

"Ryo-nii," Lambo holds back another groan but still winces from the sharp pain in his lower back. "I think I'm done working out for the day."

Ryohei runs a hand through his white hair, releasing a nervous laugh. "I think so too."

"Lambo, are you ok?" Kaito asks and this time he really is crying.

"I'm fine, that was nothing."

"Nothing? That's EXTREMELY fifteen feet you just fell from!" Ryohei exclaims. "What the hell happened?"

"I'm so sorry, Sasagawa-san, I didn't mean to-"

"We were goofing off when we shouldn't have and I let go of the rope. We're both at fault, Ryo-nii."

Lambo catches Kaito looking ashamed but grateful.

Ryohei looks back at the group of teens with a frown. "You all knew better than to climb without supervision, you know how dangerous it can be. I don't think I need to tell you how much you've disappointed me today."

"Ryo-nii, we're sorry." Lambo manages to whisper and Ryohei knows it's time to go.

"I'll deal out a punishment later. Mori, can you take care of them? I need to take my little brother home."

If Lambo wasn't as exhausted as he was, he would have complained about being carried but as it is, he's glad he can count on Ryohei to help him even though it was Lambo's fault for getting hurt.

"Thanks for always being there for me, Ryo-nii. Even when I mess up."

"You're my brother, Lambo. It's not just my job to be there for you, I want to. That doesn't mean you're not going to be EXTREMELY grounded."

And Lambo thinks he can live with that. He knows he's going to keep making mistakes that will more than likely lead to him getting hurt but Ryohei will always be there to make it better.

Mukuro-

Once, when Lambo was eight, he along with some classmates had decided to sneak into a supposedly haunted house to gather evidence of ghosts. It had been a three-story home with rickety flooring and shattered windows just like those spooky houses in horror movies. Nothing out of the ordinary for an abandoned house but it sure had been creepy.

In the end, they hadn't found anything and had mostly scared each other before Gokudera had found them begging for help.

He remembers the fear he had felt at thinking the place had been occupied by an evil presence. Of course, that evil feeling was nothing compared to the aura from right now.

"I am not a babysitter,"

The temperature in the room has dropped significantly, goosebumps appearing on the young boy's arms as his brother faces off against the dark half of the Mystic Duo.

"Mukuro, I'm asking for a small favor. I wouldn't be asking unless I had no other choice."

"T-Tsuna-nii, I'm old enough to go by myself. I mean, I don't even have to go. It's just one game and it's not even an important one."

The ten-year-old knows how busy Tsuna has been so it's not surprising they forgot about his game. Unfortunately, Tsuna insists somebody from the family accompany the youngest and since Mukuro is the only one available…

Tsuna sighs, "You're right, I didn't think this would be such a difficult task for a powerful illusionist but I guess it was too much to ask. I'll reschedule my meeting for another day so I can go with you."

Lambo sweat drops. Does Tsuna really think this kind of manipulation will work on somebody like Mukuro Rokudo? This is an evil genius they're talking about. As if something so trivial could motivate Mukuro to-

The room gets colder even as flames appear to engulf Mukuro. The mad illusionist has a dark grin on his face, one Lambo really doesn't want to be directed towards him. The youngest can't see Mukuro's eyes but Lambo knows there is more than likely an evil glint there.

"Oh? I don't recall declining said mission, Tsunayoshi. I will take the brat and make sure he doesn't trip on his own two feet," Mukuro glances down at Lambo. "Shall I take a first-aid kit?"

If Lambo hadn't wanted to go before, he definitely doesn't want to now. He's tempted to throw himself through the living room doors to avoid going but it seems Tsuna can feel Lambo's intentions and grabs him by the shoulders before the youngest can make a run for it.

"Great! I'm sure you'll both have a fun time. Have a good game, Lambo. I know you won't let me down."

And with that hidden warning, Tsuna leaves the two alone. This is all kinds of messed up. "Mukuro-san, you really don't have to go."

Mukuro stares at Lambo. And if it looks like the Lightning Guardian wants to cry, then it's because he does.

"Do you think I cannot accomplish such a simple task as well?"

"What? N-no! I just don't want to be an inconvenience to you."

"Kufufu. I'm sure you are used to being more than an inconvenience. I've heard you've been nothing but trouble since your Bovino days."

None of his brothers have used his time in the Bovinos against him. Not to remind him of his painful past nor to hurt him. Lambo knows Mukuro has a terrible personality compared to his siblings; knows he can be quite cruel but before today, the illusionist hadn't been this way towards him. The ten-year-old clenches his fists.

"I don't need you or anyone else, you jerk. Don't worry about me, I won't cause you trouble by being an inconvenience to you," He shouts before grabbing his sports bag and running out the door.

"What a jerk! I know I can be a pain in the ass but that doesn't mean I'm an inconvenience. At least, not all the time. Who does he think he is anyway?"

Lambo is so engrossed in his angry thoughts, he stops paying attention to his surroundings. Hibari will kill him if the Monster of Namimori finds out. The youngest Vongola is thinking if there is a possible way to get back at Mukuro when his thoughts come to an abrupt halt.

He's still developing his reflexes but he manages to stay on his feet instead of falling on his ass after bumping hard into somebody. Normally, Lambo apologizes and continues on his way but he's really not in a good mood.

"Watch where you're going next time," He snaps before walking off. A large hand lands on his shoulder making him stop.

Lambo turns to glare at the person but his eyes widen instead when he realizes who he's dealing with.

"Is that you, Bovino?"

Lambo feels his mouth go dry. Crap, an old friend. Two years ago, Lambo witnessed a local drunkard beat a fellow classmate close to death and had testified against him. That day, the man had made it clear Lambo would one day pay for it.

"Ichaki-san? I thought you were still in prison,"

"I got released early without permission. I'm actually planning to leave the country. What a weird coincidence to run into you of all people." The older man says with a creepy grin.

"Uh, yeah, it is. Um, I'm running late so I gotta go but good luck to you."

Lambo begins to walk away when the all too familiar click of a gun reaches his ears. He mentally groans. He knew walking away from Mukuro would come back to bite him in the ass but he didn't think it would be this quick. He can't wait to hear the lecture that will surely follow.

"Let's take a walk,"

Lambo knows better than to argue with somebody holding a gun while surrounded by innocent people. He can handle Ichaki but he'll have to wait until they're alone. The ten-year-old follows with a nod of his head. No more than fifteen minutes later, Lambo is being tied down to a chair in an old looking apartment after failing to take the man down. He must have gotten stronger in prison.

Lambo's mouth is bound with a rag and the youngest Vongola feels like throwing up. Hopefully, it hasn't been used recently. There's blood oozing from his probably broken nose but nothing else.

"Stay here while I finish packing, kid. Don't worry, I won't take long." Ichaki says before closing the bedroom door.

This is too embarrassing and he knows he won't hear the end of it later but there's nothing he can do about it right now. Lambo loses track of time and is about to close his eyes when a piercing scream fills the apartment.

"Not Psycho-nii, not Psycho-nii. Please anybody but Psycho-nii,"

Lambo hears the footsteps stop at the door. He watches the handle slowly turn which just makes his anxiety worse. Hibari wouldn't be taking his sweet time like this. This is obviously somebody who likes tortu...oh, damn it.

The door opens to reveal a grinning Mukuro. The mad man casually walks towards Lambo with his usual carefree expression but the youngest can't help thinking there's something else; a small hint of something. Of course, there's no way Mukuro would even know what concern is so that can't be what Lambo is seeing.

The evil half of the Mystic Duo crouches in front of Lambo and the youngest wonders why he suddenly feels like prey.

"My, my. So much for not needing anybody. Now, should I help you get free or do you think you can manage it on your own? Kufufu," Mukuro chuckles knowing full well Lambo can't do it by himself. Otherwise, he wouldn't still be tied to the chair.

Lambo wishes he could take the crazed bastard on but he's smart enough to know Mukuro would have him in some twisted abyss within seconds if he tried. With a defeated sigh, Lambo looks up with the most pitiful expression he can muster hoping Mukuro understands that yes, he needs help.

Mukuro grins and starts to reach for the rag covering Lambo's mouth. Lambo screams into the cloth when Mukuro instead corrects his broken nose. The pain is excruciating but it doesn't last long; slight throbbing taking its place. He glares at Mukuro to which the older man just laughs.

"Wouldn't want you looking more pathetic, now would we?" Mukuro says with a smirk as he releases Lambo from the ropes. Lambo quickly pulls off the rag and is about to give Mukuro a piece of his mind but the illusionist speaks first.

"I hope you know my assistance is not free. All this trouble you've caused me - not to mention, I will have to deal with Tsunayoshi's infuriating speech on responsibility because of you. My only consolation is knowing I will not suffer alone. I hope you are at least able to handle their criticism. I have no doubt the Skylark will add to your training as well."

Lambo wants to cry. Hibari will absolutely demand more harsh training. "Do we have to tell them?" He asks in a low voice.

Mukuro takes a second to look as if he's thinking real hard about their dilemma. "Your friend conveniently took his own life which means we might be able to keep it a secret as long as you keep your mouth shut. It is easy to get a broken nose while playing baseball, is it not?"

"Right, I won't say anything. I promise." As if Ichaki took his own life...right.

"Then I shall not mention this incident." For some reason, Lambo feels like he's just been played but as long as Hibari doesn't increase his training then it's fine.

Mukuro puts his hand behind Lambo's neck and begins to guide him to the door. For a split second Lambo feels completely safe and wonders if maybe his relationship with the madman is taking a turn for the best. That is, of course, until Mukuro squeezes a little too hard and leans to whisper in the boy's ear,

"If you ever call me a jerk again or insult me in any way, I will make you pay. Is that understood?"

Yeah, no. Mukuro still and always will be evil. Lambo nods and the pressure on his neck lessens but does not disappear. Well, maybe partly evil.

"By the way, how did you find me?"

Mukuro chuckles menacingly. "Do not ever think you can hide from me,"

After that day, Mukuro is still a jerk but Lambo feels a bit closer to him - even accepts him as another brother. He's kind of like Chrome's evil twin that nobody can get rid of and have gotten used to having around. Lambo is pretty sure this is some variation of Stockholm syndrome but he'll worry about that some other time.

Chrome-

Lambo kicks the wall in anger, wincing slightly at the pain. "This is bullsh-"

"Lambo, watch your language,"

Lambo glares at his sister but doesn't finish his sentence. "Chrome-nee, it's not fair. Why do they bother keeping me around if they're not going to let me go on missions with them?"

Chrome offers a small smile before sitting on the couch across from the angry boy. "You're not a tool to be used when needed, Lambo."

"Then what the heck am I? I'm sure as hell not their brother either since they don't spend time with me anymore. They're always busy with their stupid missions and don't bother playing with me. I'm just an extra person they can call on when needed and everyone knows it. They don't need me when they already have each other. I'm just a spare," He finishes with a sniff, quickly wiping at his eyes.

Chrome knows Lambo is upset about being left behind again and she can even understand why but she gets the impression there's more to Lambo's burst of anger this time around.

Shyly she asks Lambo to join her on the couch which the pre-teen does. She wraps her arm around Lambo's shoulders and offers a gentle squeeze. "What's really bothering you?"

Lambo turns away but not before Chrome catches the slight pink on his cheeks. "You're going to laugh at me,"

"I promise I won't. You're obviously upset and I, well, I want to try to help. I know I'm not Bossu or one of the guys but you still consider me your sister, right? I'd like to help."

After a second of hesitation, Lambo nods. "I know everybody sees me as the baby of the family. I'm only eleven and everyone else is already an adult so they think they need to keep me safe. They think I don't know how bad things can get being involved with the Mafia even though I grew up in this life. So they push me away just like the Bovinos did and I know they're going to forget me just like they did as well."

"Lambo, we would never forget you,"

"Yes, you would!" He shouts quickly standing up and starts to pace again. "They're going to see they don't need me to complete missions, they'll realize I'm just taking space and forget me completely."

"Lambo,"

"You don't know how it feels to know you're not needed. To feel like they only keep you around because they don't know how to get rid of you. Chrome-nee, you don't know how scared I am to be left behind knowing that one day, they won't come back for me."

Chrome watches Lambo shrink into himself, shoulders trembling and she knows he's just barely holding it in. How could none of them have noticed how bad things had gotten with their little brother?

"Lambo, I'm sorry."

Lambo wipes his nose, "It's not your fault I'm useless."

Chrome stand and hesitantly places her hands on the boy's shoulders, making him look at her.

"I do know how you feel."

"You do?"

"When I first joined Bossu, I knew the only reason I was accepted was because of my connection to Mukuro-sama. I was nothing special, it was all him."

Chrome guides Lambo back to the couch where they both sit shoulder to shoulder.

"I was extremely happy when Mukuro-sama was released from his prison but also sad because I knew I wasn't needed anymore. For months, I waited for somebody to tell me I could go, to tell me I wasn't needed since they had the real Mist Guardian."

"But you're amazing, Chrome-nee. They wouldn't let somebody like you go."

"You're seeing it wrong, Lambo. They didn't keep me because I was strong or could do things others can't. They kept me around because I was family. For some reason I didn't understand, they loved me just as much as I loved them. Even if I wanted to go, they wouldn't have let me because this is where I belong. This is where you belong."

Lambo looks down at his hands, "At least they talk to you. I'm the pain in the ass nobody wants around. If I was to disappear, I don't think anyone would go looking for me."

The slight smack to the back of his head shocks him. He yelps and turns to Chrome with wide eyes, "Did you just…"

Chrome is covering her mouth with her hands looking like she can't believe it either. "I'm so sorry, Lambo. Reborn-san said smacking your head is the quickest way to snap you out of thinking."

That damn Reborn…

"You really shouldn't listen to stupid Reborn but thanks, I guess I needed that."

"You know we would always find you. It doesn't matter how far or how much you don't want to be found, we wouldn't stop until you were back with us. You're family, Lambo. You mean so much to us not because of what you can do but because you're our brother."

Lambo sighs, feeling any leftover anger leave his body as he leans against his sister. "I know. I'm sorry for even thinking otherwise."

"We all have our moments of doubts but they go away after talking to someone about them. The others don't mean to push you away, they just want to keep you safe. Nobody wants to see you get hurt needlessly."

"Except you, it seems. I think I might have a concussion now."

Chrome actually worries for a second but the smile on Lambo's face calms her down. The pre-teen laughs and hugs her knowing out of everyone else, she will always understand how he feels when doubt seeps in. And just like everyone else, she would never rest until he was found if he ever did go missing.

.

.

.

Lambo lets out a soft moan as he begins to wake up. He can feel his stretched muscles begging for release, his head pounding as blood drips down his face. He spits out some more blood, his mouth aching at the movement.

His hands are chained above his head while his knees barely touch the wet, dirty floor. He's been able to figure out he's in some basement where people more than likely don't make it out of - if he takes the dry blood stains into account. Lambo isn't sure how many days he's been locked up for since there aren't any windows but he's sure it's been at least three.

The gang that took him has been trying to get information out of him but Lambo's done a good job at keeping his mouth shut so far. Unfortunately, he's not sure how much longer he can do so. He's in pain, so much pain, and he just wants it to stop.

The day he'd been captured, he'd stolen a drive from the gang after hearing them mention it had Vongola data. Apparently, they'd bought off the information from an infamous hacker to use against his family. It contained the name, address, pictures, and a lot more info about those affiliated with Vongola. Not just allied famiglias but friends - innocent bystanders that had nothing to do with Mafia; like Mama, Kyoko-nee, and any friends from school. Lambo couldn't just stand there and let them have it.

He had snatched it from the guy's hand and ran as far as he could. When he realized they weren't going to stop following him, he'd hidden the drive with his phone knowing his family would be able to track it. Regrettably, that meant they wouldn't be able to track him down but he couldn't risk that kind of information landing in the wrong hands.

So far they hadn't made the connection he was Vongola and thought he was simply trying to sell off the material for his own profit. Lambo isn't sure if that's any better but he didn't want to be used for ransom either.

His stomach growls and he's not sure if it's from hunger or the beatings it has taken. He's just so tired. Lambo painfully lifts his head and opens his mouth to welcome the drops of water leaking through the cracks in the ceiling. He feels disgusted but he's so damn thirsty he doesn't care.

He's awake but he wishes he could go back into unconsciousness to avoid feeling the pain. The gunshot wound is still bleeding and he's sure it's infected too. He doesn't want to think about the stab wound on his right thigh or the cracked rib which is making breathing difficult but they're kind of hard to ignore.

Lambo isn't sure how much time has passed since he woke up but he finds it weird nobody has come to torture him some more. Normally somebody shows up a few minutes after he wakes up and he wonders if this is just another way to inflict torment. Before he can think more on it, he falls back into a deep slumber.

Movies don't show how messed up a person being held captive can get. It's something nobody wants to think about because it's completely inhumane. The next time Lambo opens his eyes, he cries. It's been a long time since anybody has shown up and he's starting to think they've left him to die.

He's covered in sweat, blood, bug bites, and judging from the smell, his bladder ran out of room. He feels ashamed he couldn't hold it in any longer but it's been too long and his body refused to obey.

Lambo's sure this is how he's going to die and it is a terrible way to go. He's torn between hoping his family never finds his body this way and hoping they're never left wondering what happened to him. Unfortunately, or fortunately, the decision is made for him.

The loud bang coming from somewhere upstairs is completely unexpected and sends Lambo into a rush trying to move. They're back to finish the job.

He manages to stand with excruciating pain shooting through his body. If they're going to kill him then he wants to die on his feet. His arms feel like they're about to fall off but manages to grab onto the chains for support.

He hears the heavy footfall above with dust and sand landing on his head from the movement. Then, he hears it. He hears his name being called by different people, all of whom he loves to death.

He tries to call out but only a small scratchy sound comes out. His throat is raw from all the screaming he had done before, his mouth too dry with chapped lips which begin to bleed at the movement.

The basement door opens with a loud crash, running footsteps heading down his way. He's saved. He knows he's saved.

Lambo begins to cry but no tears nor noise come out. His body exhausted and dehydrated. He drops to his knees, his arms once again seeming to burn from the pain of being pulled but he doesn't care. He's saved.

The first face he sees is Gokudera's and Lambo has never felt happier to see him. The teen sees Gokudera look around the big space before settling on Lambo's torn body. Lambo sees shock then anger display on the Storm's face and he knows he must look awful.

"I found him! I need help in the basement, now!" He shouts as he puts his gun away while quickly making his way to Lambo. "Shit, shit, shit. What the fuck did they do to you?"

Lambo knows it's a rhetorical question. It's kind of obvious what was done to him but he feels like he needs to answer anyway.

"They got mad because I wouldn't tell them anything." Lambo winces at the terrible way he sounds but there's nothing he can do about it at the moment. He tries to clear his throat but that just makes him cough and boy does it hurt.

"Don't talk, Lambo. Just, just don't move."

Lambo tries to laugh but it sounds pitiful. "I can't remember the last time you used my real name instead of some insult. I must look bad,"

"Lambo!"

The teen looks up and offers a bloody smile to the remainder of his family as they all make their way down. Everybody is here. Tsuna, Yamamoto, Ryohei, Chrome, Hibari, Mukuro, and even Reborn. They all came to save him just like he knew they would.

"You're late," He says before finally giving in to his exhaustion knowing he's safe. His family will keep him safe.

Lambo wakes up and for a split second, he thinks he's still in the basement. He thinks he's still hanging from some rusty chains with blood covering him like a second layer of clothing. But then the smell of disinfectant hits his nose and he remembers.

He's safe.

The teen slowly opens his eyes, blinking a few times to adjust to his new surroundings. He's in a hospital room, that much is obvious. He's hooked up to machines, an IV, and if the uncomfortable feeling between his legs is any indication, a catheter. His body aches but it doesn't hurt; not really. It's like the pain is there but he can't really feel it.

He doesn't try to move though, not wanting to test how much the painkillers work. Instead, from his raised position he moves his head around and his heart swells at the sight.

To his left, he sees Yamamoto and Gokudera sitting in really uncomfortable looking plastic chairs; both sound asleep. Across the room he sees Chrome lying down on a sofa, her head on Mukuro's lap and her feet on Hibari's. Again, all of them asleep. If that's not enough to make him smile then Ryohei snoring on a thin blanket on the floor sure is. Lambo can even make out some drool on his brother's face.

He turns to the right and isn't surprised to see his missing brother. He is, however, surprised to see Tsuna staring right back at him. Lambo wants to say something stupid. He wants to joke about how they took forever to rescue him, about how they took so long he even wet his pants. Instead, Lambo's lips tremble and he begins to cry. This time, tears do come out. He whimpers as he tries to hold it in but he can't. The time to act brave and strong is over. He can be scared now because his family is here to keep him safe.

Tsuna doesn't waste a second. He's on Lambo's side immediately and carefully wraps his arms around his crying baby brother.

Lambo cries without shame knowing nobody, not even Mukuro would hold it against him. He was terrified, knowing he could die at any moment. Then, when nobody showed up, he was horrified to think he'd die a slow, painful death. The only thing keeping him from going insane was the faith he had in his family. He knew they would find him but he won't lie, they kind of cut it close this time.

Through his sobs, he can hear movement around him and knows he's woken up his other siblings. He feels a little guilty because he knows they probably got little to no sleep while looking for him. Yet, he doesn't stop crying until his body runs out of energy.

He slowly backs away from Tsuna, wanting to wipe his eyes and nose but his arms are heavy. Luckily, Tsuna understands and accepts tissues from Yamamoto. The Tenth cleans Lambo's face, his eyes hiding any emotion but the teen can feel how hard Tsuna is trying to stay strong for him and he's grateful.

Lambo turns to his other siblings and offers a weak smile, "Sorry for waking you up." His voice sounds broken but it's a lot better than before. Chrome is the first to move. She rushes to his side and hugs him trying to be mindful of his injuries. She begins to cry and Lambo would join her but he's fresh out of tears.

He cries.

False alarm, he still has plenty of tears to shed. The others join, ruffling his hair or gently squeezing his shoulders just so he knows they missed him. Well, except Mukuro and Hibari but Lambo doesn't take it personally. The only emotions they're capable of showing is anger, hatred, and homicidal maniac tendencies. Yes, that is an emotion for them.

Once they all step back, Lambo asks, "How long was I missing for?"

The atmosphere in the room changes immediately and he almost regrets asking but he needs to know. He needs to know how much of his life he lost down in that basement.

When nobody seems to want to answer, he thinks maybe he should ask something else but then Hibari responds.

"You were missing for four days."

"And you've been out of it for another three," Gokudera adds with a frown.

So a whole week. Wow, that's a new record for him. One he hopes never to break. He nods in understanding before looking back at his family. There's another question he needs to be answered - one he's afraid to voice.

"Are they," His mouth goes dry and he licks his lips. "Are they gone?" He can feel his hands begin to tremble even though he tries to stop. He would never wish death upon anybody but he doesn't want to admit how terrified he is of them. He would rather live without worrying about somebody coming after him for the rest of his life.

Tsuna gently holds his hand, the warmth helping with the tremors. Lambo looks up at his brother and he almost flinches at the cold amber he sees. "They're gone. Every single one of them is gone."

Lambo knows what that means; not needing a further explanation he nods. The relief he feels is indescribable. He lets out a breath he didn't know he was holding and leans back into his pillow, closing his eyes for a second.

"That's good to know," That's when he remembers the drive and sits back up with a slight groan when his ribs protest the movement.

"The drive, I left a drive in one of the vents at a warehouse on-"

Gokudera places his hand on Lambo's shoulder to stop his rambling. "We got it. We got it all."

"Can you tell us how you ended up with a drive filled with our friends' information?" Yamamoto asks and Lambo nods.

He tells them his side of the story while trying to keep his voice steady and accepts the plastic cup of water Chrome offers once he's finished with a soft thanks.

"How about you? It must have been hard if it took you guys this long to find me," He says with a slight smile but it immediately turns into a frown when the temperature in the room drops a considerable amount. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"It's ok, Lambo. You have nothing to apologize for. Do you understand? Nothing,"

Lambo has only seen Tsuna this upset a few times in his life; none of which were good. He knows it's not his fault but it's still because of him.

"We know you must have been scared," Chrome says from his left.

"We're sorry we made you wait," Yamamoto adds from next to Chrome.

"You have every right to be upset. You were expecting us to save you and we EXTREMELY failed you."

"What? No, no, please don't think that." Lambo can see how much this whole situation got to them and he hates it. "I knew you'd find me, that's the only reason I didn't go crazy. I knew you would find me." He decides not to add how for a second he believed they'd only find his corpse.

"We're still sorry, Lambo. That day you didn't come home, we traced your phone to the warehouse and retrieved the drive along with your necklace and ring. We knew you wouldn't leave your things unless you had no other choice and immediately got Verde to inspect the files." Tsuna tells him while holding on to the teen's hand.

"It took a long time to find out who had created the file because they were good at fucking hiding their tracks but we eventually got a location."

Ryohei continues after Gokudera, "It led us to an internet cafe where a message with the gang's info was waiting for us. It was signed by ICU, a hacker known for selling highly valuable information." Lambo doesn't miss the way the hacker isn't mentioned again and wonders if he should worry about that.

"We found the gang's hideout without any trouble but they were refusing to talk." Chrome says with clenched fists.

"We tried forcing your location out of them but they seemed used to pain." Yamamoto doesn't look happy and Lambo won't ask what they did to the gang. Mukuro decides to fill him in.

"We had no choice but to go searching through their weak minds. Kufufu, they didn't tolerate it. Their feeble little brains burst from our intrusion."

"Once we knew where you were, the remaining herbivores were bitten to death without mercy."

Lambo takes a minute to process what he's been told and nods. He doesn't feel sorry for anything those gangsters went through. They signed their death warrants the second they decided to mess with Vongola.

A second later, he yawns. His body asking for more rest but he doesn't want to leave his family. It feels like so much longer than a week since he spent time with them and doesn't want to leave their side again.

"Go to sleep, Lambo. We'll be here when you wake up." Tsuna says. Lambo turns to face him and is thankful his brother looks back to normal.

Lambo nods before snuggling back into bed. "Thanks for coming for me,"

He closes his eyes. As he begins to lose consciousness, he can feel somebody run their fingers through his hair, then a kiss being planted on his forehead.

"Always, little brother. Always,"

Lambo falls asleep knowing Tsuna always keeps his promises. His family has always been there for him and he knows that will never change.

Extra scene:

The thirteen-year-old walks down the street, sucking on a lollipop as he admires the city he's visiting. Every time he visits Italy, Lambo discovers something new and fun to do but this time, he hasn't found much. Well, the day is young, as mama says.

He turns the corner and almost bumps into a man standing on the other side. "Oops, sorry," Lambo says before continuing his walk. He stops and turns back when the man calls out to him in Italian.

"Hiya, kid. I haven't seen you around here before. Are you new?"

Lambo looks at the stranger and something about the man screams "creep!" so the teen turns and begins his walk once more, not bothering to answer.

"I asked you a question, baby boy."

The way the man says that sends a shiver down his spine but Lambo tries to hide his discomfort. "I don't talk to creeps," Lambo says through narrowed eyes.

"Is that an accent I detect? How adorable,"

Yup, time to go. Lambo turns and is about to run off when the man grabs him and forcibly begins to drag him towards the side of the building.

"Let me go, you creep!"

Lambo is about to kick the creep in the groin but he doesn't have to. One minute the stranger is pulling Lambo and the next, the man is howling in pain, grabbing onto his right shoulder where it seems his arm has fallen off from.

"Voi! What the hell do you think you're doing following a sick piece of shit, you stupid brat?!"

Lambo turns to the familiar voice and grins. "Number Two, what a coincidence running into you here."

The teen loves seeing the outraged look on Squalo's face each time he calls him by that nickname. Lambo knows how much it annoys the swordsman being reminded of his defeat to Yamamoto.

"You ungrateful trash! I'll fillet you right now!"

Lambo stumbles when the creepy man manages to pull him back with his remaining arm, still screaming in pain. The teen flinches at the exploding sound of a gun going off, blood splattering across his face and shirt.

The man drops to the ground and Lambo doesn't need to look to know he's dead. He does turn to Xanxus who is now putting his precious weapon away with a bored expression on his face.

"Uh, thank you, Xanxus-sama," Lambo says with a slight bow.

Squalo's eye twitches, "Why the fuck does he gets shown respect and I don't?"

Lambo picks his nose before answering. "Because you're just Number Two. Anyway, thanks for the help, Xanxus-sama. Although now I have to explain this mess to Tsuna-nii." He says with a sigh.

Xanxus grins, "Worthless piece of trash, get out of my sight."

Lambo walks to his temporary home, ignoring the stares and whispers from those around him. Who would have thought the Varia would take time to help him? Hm, this world just gets weirder and weirder.

Wow, this was kind of long, huh? Hopefully, it was good enough to keep you entertained though! Please let me know?

Also, thank you all so much for not giving up on me. These last few months have not been easy for me so I do apologize for taking so long to update. My depression and anxiety got so bad, my doctor actually took me off work for a while. I feel better. I think I just needed some time to calm down and decompress. It really sucks when you feel this way but I know it won't be forever.

Thank you in advance for your lovely reviews!

See you next time in Lambo's Corner. You do not want to miss it!