I don't own KHR.

No…This can't be happening…after everything we have been through together…this…this can't be where it ends…it just can't be…

"I'm…sorry…Gokudera…kun…" With those words, Tsuna's brown eyes slid shut and his body stopped fighting to breathe. For a moment, Gokudera just kneeled there, not wanting to believe that the Millefiore's bullets had just killed his beloved Juudaime. For a moment that felt like an eternity, Gokudera just stayed on his knees silently, not wanting to believe that his best friend was gone forever.

"Ju…Juudaime?" he asked softly, his voice cracking and full of desperate hope. Please…Please come back…Please don't do this Juudaime. Please don't leave me…please. But despite Gokudera wishing with all of his breaking heart, Tsuna stayed completely motionless and silent.

"NOOOOOOO!" screamed Gokudera, not able to deny the horrible truth anymore. His Juudaime, the first person he had opened up to, his best friend, the man who made him feel like he always belonged…was dead. And no matter of wishing, pleading, or even fighting the blasted enemy who had done this unforgivable deed could bring him back.

"Tsuna…Tsuna…Tsuna…" repeated Gokudera, sobbing as he gently pulled Tsuna's lifeless body close to him. As Gokudera hugged him and cried into his shoulder, he realized that this was the first time he had ever called Tsuna by his name. Ironic…that the only time I have used his name…he can't hear me. And he never will again.

"TSUUNNNAAAAA!" bellowed Gokudera, not caring who saw or heard him in his broken state. All Gokudera wanted to do was cry and hold his Juudaime's body close, before he was forced to put him into a coffin where Tsuna will stay in until the end of time.

"Gokudera-kun?" By this time, Gokudera was so focused on the pain and grief that engulfed his heart that he didn't hear this familiar voice, as well as feel his world shake just a little.

"Gokudera-kun!" This time, Gokudera heard his name, as well as felt the ground beneath him shake just a bit harder. Confused, Gokudera's tears slowed down a little as he lifted his head. Gokudera, who was holding Tsuna's head up gently with his right hand, then looked at his kind and amazing boss, only to confirm what he already knew. Tsuna was still dead, thus the voice did not come from his mouth. Then…why did that voice sound so much like…

"GOKUDERA-KUN!" Whether the now urgent voice startled Gokudera or he just naturally needed to do it, the Storm Guardian blinked his green eyes. They only stayed close for a tenth of a second, but when Gokudera opened them again, the world around him had completely changed.

Instead of being outside under the bright noonday sun, he was in a small room lighted up by a single but bright lightbulb. Instead of kneeling, Gokudera was lying down on the lower bed of a bunk bed. And instead of Tsuna lying dead in his arms, his Juudaime was looking down at him, worry and concern etched on his young face.

"Juudaime?" Gokudera whispered, feeling bewildered yet wanting to hug Tsuna like he was a lifeboat in a stormy sea and never let go.

"Oh thank goodness, you're awake," said Tsuna with a relieved sigh. "For a moment there, I thought you were sick and wouldn't be able to wake up...you're not sick are you?"

"No…" answered Gokudera, still out of it. Then a second or so later, Gokudera's foggy mind cleared up and he finally understood what had happened.

"It was just a dream…" Gokudera said softly as he sat up. It didn't really happen…Juudaime didn't die after all…but Juudaime ten years later did…

"You sure? By the way you were crying and thrashing about, it seemed like you were having a nightmare," observed Tsuna, who still looked concerned for his silver-haired friend. Nightmare…yeah, it definitely was a nightmare…that could still become reality.

Gokudera knew he should be fully relieved that his best friend wasn't dead after all, but he wasn't. Because while he was definitely glad that Tsuna was alive, a nagging monster of fear in his heart told him that his nightmare could still come to pass. That even if he, Tsuna, and the others did managed to stop Irie and go back to the past, the future will not change. That no matter what he did, his best friend will still get shot to death by the hands of Byakuran and his Millefiore.

"Do you want to talk about it?" asked Tsuna a bit nervously, like he wasn't sure if he should be asking that question. Or maybe he was just afraid to know what could possibly make Gokudera cry. Either way, there was no way Gokudera was going to tell him. He has more than enough on his plate right now to be saddled with my fears…besides, what would he say if he knew that his right-hand man wasn't totally confident that we could fix everything? That his trusted and steadfast right-hand man really was afraid?

"Nah, I'm good Juudaime," said Gokudera with a forced smile. "It was just a stupid nightmare. In fact, I'll probably forget all about it in the morning. I'm just sorry that I woke you up."

"It's alright. I'm still pretty exhausted from today's training so I will probably go back to sleep pretty quickly," assured Tsuna, though Gokudera could tell by his brown eyes that Tsuna didn't quite believe him. But luckily, Tsuna didn't push the matter farther and instead stood up.

"Well then, night then Gokudera-kun," he said as he began to climb up the ladder to the top bunk.

"Good night Juudaime," said Gokudera with a false cheerfulness. Deep down inside, Gokudera desperately wanted to ask, to beg, to make one of the people he didn't want to live without make the promise that he won't die. But Gokudera knew that even his amazing boss didn't have the power to always keep that promise. So Gokudera kept silent as he lay back down and turned to his side, ready for the restless night that was surely ahead of him.

"I failed to protect you didn't I?" This was spoken so suddenly and so softly that Gokudera thought he was hearing things. But just in case he wasn't, Gokudera turned to his other side to see that Tsuna was still on the ladder, his eyes gazing downward like he was afraid to look anywhere else.

"What did you say Juudaime?" asked Gokudera, shocked by the words that he thought just same from his boss' mouth.

"I…I heard you say my name…and you were crying," continued Tsuna. "Crying like you were in pain…the Millefiore were hurting you weren't they? And you were begging for me to help you…to save you…weren't you?"

"Oh no…" Gokudera tried to assure him otherwise as he quickly sat up again. However, before the Storm Guardian could say another word, Tsuna continued like he didn't hear Gokudera speak at all.

"But I didn't come…I didn't save you…even though I resolved to protect everybody…I failed to protect you…did I?!" With this last outburst, Tsuna finally looked up, to reveal the tears in his eyes.

"Juudaime…" Gokudera whispered, completely stunned and horrified. How…how can Juudaime think that what my nightmare was?! How can he think that he could ever fail me? Then a lightning bolt of realization hit the silver-haired Vongola family member. He's…he's afraid too…

"I'm sorry…" Tsuna apologized softly as he wiped the tears off his face. "I…

"No Juudaime! There is nothing for you to apologize for!" exclaimed Gokudera profusely as he got on his knees. "Because you're wrong! You didn't fail to protect me! In fact, the Millefiore weren't even attacking me!"

"Then…then why were you crying and calling my name? Even though you have never called me Tsuna before…" asked Tsuna. Gokudera winced, remembering the pain and grief he had felt and Tsuna's bloody and motionless body.

"I…you…" stuttered Gokudera, afraid to tell the truth, afraid to open up about his insecurities to the man who he admired the most in the world. But he opened up to me…and…if I don't…he will think that I am afraid that he will fail me…and…as his right-hand man…it is my responsibility to stop him from thinking that!

"I was crying…and calling your name because…" Gokudera hesitated, the horrible words caught in his throat and he was beyond scared to move them to his tongue. But one more look at Tsuna's guilty and attentive face gave him the courage he desperately needed.

"You were dead." As soon as the terrible words were out, Gokudera looked at his bedsheets, no courage to look at his Juudaime's face.

"I…I was?" Tsuna asked softly, like he couldn't believe what he had just heard. Gokudera nodded.

"And you wouldn't come back either…no matter how much I wished it, you wouldn't come back…" Gokudera admitted, a few tears falling onto his clenched hands. On a roll, Gokudera looked up and took a deep breath before continuing.

"And I know I shouldn't think this but…what if the future doesn't change, no matter what we do? What if…you still die?" For a long moment, Tsuna was silent and Gokudera was not able to read his face. Then Tsuna closed his eyes and sighed before opening them, now looking quite determined.

"I can't die." Did he…just say that? Gokudera's eyes then grew wide in shock when he saw Tsuna's serious expression.

"Wha…you…while you are amazing Juudaime, but even you can't promise…"

"I'm not promising. I am resolving," Tsuna interrupted him. "I know I am not strong enough yet, but soon I will be. And I have to be because as long as you guys are alive and are in any sort of danger, I have to protect you. And to do that, I can't die."

Tsuna's touching words sounded so sincere and so resolute that in the first time since Gokudera got sent to the future, he felt peace. Yes, he knew that Tsuna will someday die, whether it was of old age or by the hands of the enemy and there nothing nobody could do about it. But he now knows that Tsuna was going to try his absolute best to survive and live.

And not just because he wants to live and go back to the past. Juudaime wants to live for Yamamoto, Reborn, Ryohei, Kyoko, Haru, Lambo, I-Pin, Hibari, Fuuta, Giannini, and Bianchi. He wants to live for me. And that is good enough for me.

"So…you are resolved to live," said Gokudera, even though he already knew the answer.

"Yes," confirmed Tsuna with a nod. Gokudera then smiled and wiped the tears off his face.

"Well, in that case, it is only natural that your right-hand man is resolved to do his absolute best to support you as well as help protect you and the others," stated Gokudera, full of determination, resolve, and hope.

"In that case, let's promise each other," said Tsuna as he reached his pinky finger towards Gokudera. "Let's promise that we will follow our resolves, though you do have to resolve that you won't die either." Gokudera, smiling big as his heart grew even warmer, wrapped his pinky finger around Tsuna's.

"It's a deal," he promised. Even though he usually thought pinky promises were for little kids, this promise was the most important and best one Gokudera had ever made in his life.

"Deal," promised Tsuna with a smile as they both shook their hand once to seal the promise before unlocking their pinkies.

"Well, good night…Hayato," said Tsuna before he climbed up to his bed. Gokudera, feeling even more touched by the use of his first name, waited till he was lying back on his bed before replying back.

"Good night…Tsuna." And this time he knew that his Juudaime heard him.

Aww...Yay! Both boys have hope (especially Gokudera) again! I really enjoy writing this and I hope you enjoyed reading this too. Please review so I can become a better writer!