A/N

I'm trying to get back into writing on this site, but I didn't want to fully launch into the uncompleted stories that...er, that I need to complete, given the fact that I haven't written anything for almost two months now. I've been itching to post something Reborn-related for a while, so I ended up thinking 'why not?' and came up with this. As what usually happens with me, it started off rather short -not too short, but a manageable length- until I lost a bit of control and the story ended up writing itself. As usual, this ended with the piece being too long to be posted as a single chaptered one-shot...so I had to separate it into two chapters, much to my disappointment. Sigh.

I hope it doesn't take anything away from the story. And I also hope that I managed to get the characters right...

Anyways, here it is. Hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: It all belongs to the wonderful Amano Akira. She who loves ending chapters in a rather...heart-stopping manner, and creates wonderful(-ly dysfunctional and psychopathic) characters!

The Tenth Generation of the Vongola

Chapter One: Unexpected Phone calls

The future Vongola Decimo had requested that they all be allowed to enjoy normal lives for a while until they focused their attention on the more serious things in life.

What had surprised them all, had been when the request had been approved –even if many influential figures had done so highly unwillingly.

And so, they lived in relative peace, finishing school and applying to and entering various universities, some accepting scholarships, and others requiring a 'good word' being put in from an influential person or two.

They were nineteen, and enjoying as much of the 'normal' component of their lives as they could.

Finishing his end of semester exams with a faint flicker of confidence in the fact that he had managed to pass them all, Sawada Tsunayoshi had been in the process of declining his 'right hand man's' suggestions of celebrating the end of the stressful exam period-

-('Come on Juudaime! It's not healthy to keep all of that stress inside. We should celebrate! We should do something relaxing!'

'But Gokudera-kun-'

'I know! That indoor rock-climbing place that I mentioned earlier –that'd be the perfect way to relax, don't you think? I read somewhere that they have the highest rock wall in the whole city! It's rumoured that no one's been able to reach the top of it too –but I'm sure that you'll be able to, Juudaime!'

'Hiiiii---! That doesn't sound relaxing, Gokudera-kun!')-

- when the sudden vibrations in the pocket of his jeans had jostled him out of his thoughts, demanding his attention, much to his hidden relief. The somewhat taller, still silver haired and still explosive young man was difficult to overrule when he really got going after all.

('I should take this Gokudera-kun. Why don't you go on ahead? Kyoko-chan's probably waiting for us at the first floor cafeteria. I'll join you there.'

'But Juudaime, it's too dangerous to leave you unprotect---'

'It'll be fine Gokudera-kun. Really. I'll only probably be a few minutes. Please?'

'But...'

'I don't want to keep Kyoko-chan waiting, Gokudera-kun...'

'I – I see. Juudaime is always so concerned about the welfare of others. That's why you're going to be the best Boss the Vongola has ever had! And I'm proud to have the honour of knowing you, Juudaime!'

'G-Gokudera-kun! Not so loud! Hiiiiii – w-why are you kneeling ---people are staring, Gokudera-kun!')

Letting out a sigh of –somewhat- fond relief despite himself as his friend stalked away with a bounce to his step, the brunet turned his attention back to the still vibrating phone in his hand, flipping it open and pressing it against his ear.

('Hello, Sawada speaking!')

A gentle breeze blew around the university's main compound, ruffling his hair into an unruly mess, but he found that he didn't quite care. He had just finished his last exam, he had a feeling –call it his intuition, if you wish- that he had miraculously managed to pass them all –after repeatedly turning down Gokudera's rather...conspicuous offers of showing him the answers on his paper-, and soon, in just over a week, he would be meeting the rest of his friends at the Inter-university Baseball tournament's second semi-final, where they would rally to support their ever cheerful friend and their University's baseball team.

('Yes. Yes, this is Sawada Tsunayoshi. I'm sorry, could you repeat that? Ah, yes, it's Namimori. EH?! W-What do you need that for?')

The fact that they hadn't had to do anything mafia-related for the last month and a half was just icing on the cake. He didn't know if the lack of 'jobs' to carry out was because there wasn't anything very threatening going on in the mafia world, or if there was, but it didn't need his or his friends' talents to deal with it. Personally, he was willing to bet that Reborn had something to do with it, what with his continuous declarations of ensuring that he wouldn't allow the Vongola to have 'an uneducated, unintelligent delinquent' for a Boss.

('...Huh?')

He had started following the path his silver haired friend had taken, coming to the conclusion that this phone call wasn't one that had to do with anything mafia-related –which, if it was, he wouldn't want to risk talking about in a cafeteria full of fellow university students.

('...Miss? Miss, is everything alright? Miss? Are you there? M-Miss--- HIIIII!! I'm not crowding! I'm really not! I'm by myself!!')

It never ceased to amaze him how, even after everything they had been through, one former head of a Disciplinary Committee could reduce him into a fearfully quivering adolescent with the mere utterance of his name, for crying out loud!

Wait a minute.

('Hibari-san! It is Hibari-san, isn't it? Hiiii, o-okay, it's definitely Hibari-san. It's been a while, hasn't it? How are you? What---')

He supposed he should have guessed that something wasn't quite right. After all, when was the last time Hibari Kyouya had phoned him? And...how did he have his number in the first place? He was pretty sure he had ripped up the piece of paper he had given him with all of their contact numbers, just before they left high school.

('---have you been doing, Hibari-san? Are you in Namimori?')

He supposed he should also have been questioning his decision to ask so many questions of the feared man. Hadn't he learned anything from his experiences in school...?

('And what about--- hiiiiii, s-sorry, Hibari-san! I'll...I'll j-just stop talking now shall--- eh? Hospital? Hibari-san! Are you alright? What happened? Who was it? Does Reborn know about this? They didn't hurt you did they?!')

The peace that had overrun his usually nervous state of mind –he associated with Reborn, how could he not be eternally nervous since the Arcobaleno had appeared in his life? He didn't have a death wish, thank you very much- started to dwindle, bit by bit. If Hibari Kyouya had been hurt by some mafia group or the other... well, that just wasn't good news.

('-No, Hibari-san, I won't. Are you still at the –oh, of course you're at the hospital. I'll be there right away, Hibari-san. With Gokudera-kun too. Yes, don't worry, we'll--- huh? You're not hurt? But...Hibari-san...you're at the hospital –how can you be there but not be hurt? Didn't--- you're not the one who's --- S-S-Surgery?! You need surgery?!')

Beads of sweat were trickling down the back of his neck as he quickened his pace, conveniently ignoring the looks he received from those in the vicinity as they, no doubt, heard his part of the conversation.

('But Hibari-san, it's--- It's not you...?')

A feeling of dread stirred in his gut, much to his discomfort, as he narrowly missed walking into a slow-walking group of girls.

('...Then who-?)—

Slamming the phone shut –and thus effectively ending the call- the brunette skirted around the group of girls and burst into a run as he made his way to the university cafeteria, his usually pleasant face too pale to be natural.

Gokudera. He had to get to Gokudera. And they had to get to the hospital. Fast.

Please, hang in there, Yamamoto...!

A/N

Yeah, it's rather short, but that was the only place that I could find, in terms of dividing this piece into two parts. The end result is that the next part is rather longer than this one...but, oh well.

Hope you enjoyed this!

Keep smiling!

Siriusgirl1