A/N: Oh my gosh its finished! Thank you everyone so much for reading! Just curious, did anyone caught on that some of the chapter titles have words that were part of
Out of Time's chapter titles?

Disclaimer: I have no ownership paperwork over KHR.

Chapter 8
...no matter what, always fighting.

Tsuna was surprised to arrive back to Vindicare Prison that looks a somewhat damaged with lingering familiar flames. Deciding he didn't even want to know what happened, he looked for the unstable portal and realized it was gone. Then he saw Reborn.

Tsuna didn't understand the relief from Jagger gave off when he distracted Reborn from a strangely smug Bermuda.

For a long minute there was silence as teacher and student stared at each other, no longer strained as it had when they last seen each other. Reborn smiled and pulled his fedora down while Tsuna gave a watery smile.

"Reborn," Tsuna greeted.

Said hitman tutor suddenly disappeared and reappeared by kicking Tsuna's head, "Dame-Tsuna keep me in the dark like that again and facing the consequences will not have nothing on reliving my torture!" Reborn pushed Tsuna down and pulled his arm back.

"OW! UNCLE! UNCLE!" Tsuna cried out. It was another minute of pain until Reborn was satisfied enough to let go.

"Geez you never change!" Tsuna complained as he rolled his shoulder back.

"And you better not," retorted Reborn, "Now let's get out of this dump."

Tsuna raised an eyebrow when some of his guardians and even Jagger groaned.

"You're just jealous that I was able to fix your broken toy," Bermuda responded.

"Bermuda? Who is taking care of the Tri-Ni-Set jar machine thing?" Tsuna asked curiously trying to ignore the fighting behind him between his guardians. They seemed to be deciding who would ask something. He had a feeling what it was.

"Party pooper," Bermuda muttered and jumped on Jagger's shoulder. For some reason Tsuna felt Bermuda was sulking. Tsuna shook his head and turned to his friends.

"So how are we leaving this place?" Tsuna asked. Then he felt like the ground swallow him up only to realize a portal was formed underneath them and everyone was swallowed by it.

"HIEEEE!" Tsuna screamed as the others shouted in glee or in terror in Lambo's case. Hayato was just cursing up a storm as he caught Tsuna to protect him or not lose him in the fall.

The last thing they heard was Bermuda cackling. That jerk! Tsuna thought.

After untangling themselves from Tsuna's room floor, Reborn gave Tsuna a look before locking the door. The Neo Vongola Primo boss-in-training played with the worn hat he still kept that Gi- no, Ieyasu-san gave him for disguise. He looked up and saw his friends were waiting for something as they found a spot in front of him.

Kyoya was on the farthest corners of the room near the windows, away from the group. As for Mukuro, he was at the bedpost with Chrome sitting by his feet. Ryohei decided to lay on his back on the rug that was between Tsuna's bed and dresser. Takeshi and Hayato were sitting on the large king size bed on Tsuna's left and right side respectively. Tsuna himself sat on the middle of the foot of the bed with a sleepy Lambo on is lap.

Tsuna glances at his window and frowns. By the lack of chaos from Vongola mansion's security and the sun showing signs that is coming up soon, Tsuna suspects it only been few hours whereas for them it was more than a day. He looks down to Lambo nodding off on his lap.

I don't know where to begin, Tsuna thinks to himself. He looks up to the worried faces of his guardians. He remembers how Ieyasu's guardians cried and show such heartbreaking relief to be with him again. Suddenly, Tsuna covers his mouth and ducks his head.

"I'm sorry everyone!" Tsuna begins to shake when he feels all his feelings he kept in since the Time Jump Incident boiled over along with the recent trip to the past. He feels horrible just thinking he wanted to leave his friends. Sure he might be a burden and didn't left, but each day he felt the urge to actually leave everyone get stronger. He had seen what his father done to his mother, even if it was to protect her from his enemies; so sad, crying in the privacy of her room, but he still can hear her. But his friends whom they and himself went through everything and just because he lost his flames, he decides its right to abandon his friends?!

He only hopes they will forgive him. He doesn't care that they will accept him for losing his flames and ability to protect them (but that deep part in his heart, he fears that the most).

"Little bro, you have the same thing as Primo?" Ryohei asks softly. Tsuna without looking up, nods.

Reborn feeling too annoyed at the angst in the room thows a green slipper to Tsuna's head. Surprisingly the young man looks up and squeaks as he saw it rushing up to his face.

Takeshi and Hayato took that as a cue. The rain flame user caught the slipper just before it hit Tsuna, while the storm pushed back Tsuna to the bed, making Lambo protested from being sandwiched.

"Master Pao Pao?!" Ryohei stood up in attention in front of Tsuna.

"Kufufufu," Mukuro didn't changed his position, but his eyes sharpen, "what are you trying to prove?"

As the guardians stood in tensed battle position, Kyoya was silently stood from his corner with his eyes closed.

"You may have lost your flames, but your intuition is still strong as ever," Reborn smirks. Tsuna sits up after Hayato lets him go. Tsuna's tearface turns blank before turning contemplated.

Takeshi only flinches a little in surprise when Leon transforms back to his original form before jumping back to Reborn.

"As for your question big brother," Tsuna begins to explain as he rubs off his tears. Fortunately his friends ignore what he's doing, instead hear what he has to say, "Its similar, I was about to give them up, but um..."

"It was your blood that kimono herbivore was covered in," Kyoya spoke up, almost surprising everyone.

"Yeah...then my time was beginning to engraved into the ring," Tsuna said, not really wanting to explain what that means yet.

"Huh?" Takeshi asks. Hayato frowns as if suspecting, but unwilling to admit what that meant.

"I..um died as in not to go dying will mode, but as in I would't be with you guys anymore died," Tsuna sheepishly explained. He had to fight to urge to duck his head.

Hayato pales as the others were not any better.

"Bu-ut I'm fine now!" Tsuna waves his arms to calm his friends, but stops when he disturbs Lambo who began to sleep again on his lap.

"Not so mentally, not that you were to begin with," Reborn retorted. Tsuna open his mouth to protest, but Reborn interrupts him.

"Well you're taking too long, how about it you lot, still going to follow this flame-less weak boss of yours still? If so, give me your rings and you can walk away," Reborn summons his green gun threateningly.

"Hn." Kyoya only glances at them, then looks out the window again, not moving again.

The rest of the guardians just sit there staring at their rings.

"My mission its the same, I will posses that body of yours Tsunayoshi," Mukuro sits down next to Chrome who nodded.

"I will go where Bossu and Mukuro-sama goes."

He was somewhat surprised when they just nodded like it didn't change a thing. Although Kyoya still looked irritated, but said nothing more.

Reborn with a hidden smirk under his fedora (he knows that Tsuna can see it since it clearly says, "see they will follow you") threatening torture training if they don't go to sleep soon. They quickly complied and went back to their rooms.

After Reborn left to check if anyone noticed about their disappearance, the guardians returned with extra pajamas and bed covers that covered all of Tsuna's bedroom floor.

"EXTREME SLEEPOVER!" Ryohei shouted, waking everyone when they began to settle down. Tsuna groans and wondering how long everyone will be crazy before going to sleep.

Although he couldn't help a big grin growing on his face at having a sleepover with his friends (especially since its just a simple sleepover, not directed by Reborn). It was like a distant dream coming true.

"SHUT UP TURF TOP! THERE ARE PEOPLE SLEEPING IN THE MANSION! DO YOU WANT TO BE KICKED OUT?!" Hayato yelled annoyed that he cannot sleep anymore.

"Haha, you should go to sleep too, you know?" Takeshi gave a scary smile. Hayato tried not to let the shark-like smile bother him, but suddenly like everyone else in the room, he felt a sudden lethargy.

"Ku...fu...fu, thats low...rain guardia-" Mukuro trailed off to sleep.

When Reborn enters the room, he smirks how Takeshi winks at him after making sure he used enough subtle rain flames to make everyone go to sleep.

"Lambo's glad Tsuna-nii is back," Lambo sleepily murmured. Tsuna smiles at this before falling to sleep as well.

They woke up almost at noon and decided to eat together for brunch. Nonno joined them at the private dining room. Fortunately for the guardians, the ninth generation guardians decided to give the rest of the day off from training.

Tsuna felt something was fishy with the way the older guardians look apologetic at him, and then gave a disbelief and resigned looks at a serene looking Nonno.

He didn't think much more of it when Reborn proclaimed he's going to train Tsuna to the ground after they eat, especially for his cheek from the day before. Though reluctant, Tsuna agreed to his logic: he will need something to make up for the loss of his flames.

"I've been wondering, how did the Vindice find out it was me? Or at least why now?" Tsuna asked.

"They have sources from many places, Dame-Tsuna," Reborn sagely answered.

"Or the fact I tipped them off," Nonno serenely smiled.

"That too," Reborn nodded gravely, but froze when Nonno didn't deny it.

"Grandpa?!" Tsuna gapped at Nonno. The guardians glared at the nonchalant Ninth boss.

"I had a feeling it will help whatever its bothering you," Nonno sip his tea ignoring the betrayed look Tsuna gave him before going on, "Usually they have their daily rounds of questioning all sky flames users for some reason. It was yesterday after our talk, they actually explained to me why. They told me of their concerns of possible loss heir of mine because of a certain incident.

I had felt it was good enough reason for me to give them permission to enter the mansion to talk to you. Since you are under my protection and they could not enter without my permission otherwise."

"So you let your only heir be taken by the feared Vindice?" Reborn blankly asked.

"Oh no! I knew Tsunayoshi will be fine, he defeated them once before," Nonno tried to calm Reborn.

It didn't help at all.

"Yes, but that was before when I had sky flames, now I have nothing to defend myself!" Tsuna stood up and yelled at his grandfather.

Nonno gave him a hard stare, "I see," Nonno went on, which Tsuna felt as if he was waiting for something, "that would be difficult on your inheritance ceremony to prove your worthiness of being the new boss of Vongola and turning it around to vigilance if not destruction of Vongola…"

Tsuna began to panic, but then he glanced at his guardians and Reborn staring at Nonno warily. Tsuna calms down.

Will your guardians protect you?

Tsuna can now answer that without fear and interruption that not only they will protect him, but he will support them too. After all trust is a two way street, even if it come in different forms. Besides Vongola is all about being crazy and if he is going to lead the most powerful Famiglia with no flames, then crazy he is, the most crazy of them all.

"I will prove them with my resolve; if they don't wish to stay then at least I will know who wish to stand by me. Empty words may be ignored by the mafia, but it could make or break an alliance when not kept," Tsuna looked at Nonno in the eyes.

The old Vongola boss may no longer see the golden sheen on the boy's eyes and never see his heir's sky flames ever again, but he can sense the young man's charisma that will change Vongola one day, that he always suspected. No, this time not in wishful hope, but as a true reality. Nonno can feel it within his own flames.

"Don't worry Tsunayoshi once you are boss, you wouldn't be physically fighting them all the time," Tsuna sighed in relief at his grandfather's assurances trying to get over the sell out to Vindice confession from earlier, but tensed when he saw his pseudo grandfather mischievously smile, "You will be stuck in meeting after meeting or drowning in paperwork," Tsuna's eyes widen in horror at this.

He barely can survive a small fraction of it now, but the boss of all bosses' paperwork?!

"Now, now, Nonno don't scare off your only heir until he is officially instated and can no longer back out," Reborn laughed with Nonno. Tsuna in the other hand wanted to cry and revert back to his Dame self.

"We will always help you, Juudaime! Even in paperwork duty!" Hayato gave his boss thumbs up with Takeshi nervously agreeing.

"Will I get candy if Lambo helps?" Lambo asked.

"Kufufu, you all do that and slowly lose your minds. Chrome and I will be too busy taking over the mafia," Mukuro twirled his trident.

"Yes, we will confuse and destroying any who dares to even look at you wrong, Bossu," Chrome's eye gleamed with determination.

"EXTREME PLAN! COUNT ME IN!" Ryohei yelled with his mouth still full of breakfast. Hayato gave a look of disgust at his display.

Kyoya finished his breakfast as they all bickered. He walked with purpose toward Tsuna and glared at him, "I will be waiting for the promised fight, omnivore," as if losing his flames were no excuse to escape being bitten to death.

Tsuna blinked and grinned, "Of course."

Kyoya now satisfied, walked away. Tsuna sweat drop at Kyoya somehow was able to look intimidating in his pajamas.

He turned and face with his quarreling guardians until he felt Reborn's stare. He was surprised at what Reborn say next with a proud look, "You're on your way to become the Neo Vongola Primo," then he smirked mischievously, "once you are officially, you can make the rules over who is worthy or not, silly ring or no."

Tsuna to his own surprise laughed wholeheartedly at what his tutor said, missing the confused, but pleased looks of his friends.

A/N: There is another chapter, but it will be on the Out of Time: Special. Funny thing about this story: it was going to be part of the OOT:S, but 3 pages for 1 chapter turn to almost 30 pgs in my draft, so I decided to make it its own story sequel.
Oh well for now, I am now…FINISHED! I am off to finish the other story and work on femTsuna story to upload on October 14.

Thank you for waiting and not giving up hope for this series. *bows in gratitude*