A/N An update! It's been a long time, I know. I am really busy this year, but that isn't a good excuse for leaving this so long…a massive apology to everyone.. ; n ;

Thank you for all your feedback and reviews - it has been so much help, and I'm so very grateful...

White lights assaulted his vision. Tsuna squinted at the bright intrusion, tears leaking out from the corners of his eyes. All he could make out were a few blurry silhouettes.

He could only manage a few, incoherent mumbles, but instantly the two people in the room turned their attention to him. "Lights..." he croaked. Instantly, those lights went out, much to Tsuna's relief.

Tsuna blinked rapidly, sucked in huge breaths, and attempted to calm himself, analyse the environment, routes of escape, potential weapons -

A clean shaven, middle-aged man peered down at him. "Patient is alert. Tsunayoshi Sawada, can you understand me?" He placed a pen between his teeth and waited expectantly for a reply.

"Ye-yes," Tsuna stammered, feeling extremely muddled. "What happened?" Had he been talking in his sleep? These people didn't seem to believe he belonged to a large (if not the largest), illegitimate organisation in the world. Just how long had he been here? What had he given away?

Glancing from side to side, he tried to take in all the information about his surroundings.

The room was dim, the walls cream coloured. There was an old, wooden nightstand beside his bed, with a small vase of white orchids on it. A paper place-card sat on the edge that read: P: TS2772 – Doctor H. Gokudera.

The man frowned. "Patient seems to be confused. That was probably one of the worse episodes…"

"The blood…" Tsuna wheezed. God. Why was he so dizzy? Immediately, garbled thoughts of conspiracies and sinister mafia plots flew into his mind. But this didn't seem to be a very ominous situation, as his Hyper Intuition wasn't tingling.

As for that place card - that was it – Gokudera must be in disguise. Most likely Gokudera had insisted on being somewhere close by, to watch over his boss. He wasn't sure that this hospital was related directly to the Vongola, but the thought of his right-hand man close by was reassuring. He would play along.

The kind-looking nurse placed a palm on his forehead. I'ts okay, Tsuna, I'm going to ask you a few questions just to make sure you're alright." She looked earnestly at him. Tsuna didn't know who she was, but her voice was soothing and she seemed like she could be trusted.

"Your full name and age?"

"Tsunayoshi Sawada, 23."

"Parent's names?"

"Nana and Iemitsu Sawada," he answered without pause.

"Hair colour?"

Tsuna raised an eyebrow. "Brown."

"Eye colour?"

"Brown."

The nurse looked slightly hesitant as she asked the next question. "Where do you think you are?"

Tsuna shifted uncomfortably. "It's okay," the nurse said.

"I think I am in one of the hospitals that are connected with the Vongola," Tsuna mumbled. The nurse nodded encouragingly. Bingo.

"Have I been out long?" He tugged at the ends of his hair. It seemed at least a few inches longer.

The nurse blinked rapidly and withdrew from his bed. She looked grave. "Thank you, Tsuna."

Somehow Tsuna felt like he has said something wrong. Panic flitted through his mind. Did he make a blunder? Did his guardians have to fix his mistakes again, like always?

Tsuna's head drooped, as all the dark feelings came back.

He didn't notice the door swing open as another person came in, with a clacking of heels. "How is he?" that person asked. The first nurse walked up to the figure. "Relapse. Complete relapse," she said, before disappearing through the door.

Tsuna's head jerked up. The question that was on his lips died instantly as soon as he saw –

"Kyoko? You…nurse…when?" he spluttered, going back to his very basic foundations of stupidity.

Kyoko looked down at him with wide, sincere eyes. "Tsunayoshi Sawada, I have been your nurse for the past 10 years."

"Oh, he's out again."

When Tsuna woke up again, the room was dimmer. His mind was much clearer, and what happened in the …other family's base seemed to only be a dull memory. He recalled what Kyoko had said – she had been his nurse for ten years. What on earth did that mean? He can't have been out for that long!

The only reasonable explanation was that he was in an alternate universe, hit by the ten-year bazooka. It still didn't add up – the bazooka was one-of-a-kind, and he was pretty sure Lambo was no-where near him before he came here. Lambo was on a mission in Australia, or Austria. For the life of him, he couldn't seem to recall.

Reborn would really kick him for that, Tsuna thought miserably. Besides, it had definitely been more than five minutes.

Tsuna sat up quickly and a chill swept through him as the hospital sheets fell to his hips. Shadows flickered on the wall opposite him. They seemed to shift along the wall. Tsuna shivered. Instantly he felt his throat and fingers for his ring, and panic swept through him when he felt nothing. He felt exposed and vulnerable.

He slid his legs over the side of the bed. He was going to get to the bottom of this. However, when he made to stand up, his legs couldn't seem to hold his weight.

His knees buckled, and as he flailed, trying to keep his balance, his hand swept across something, and there was a loud noise as it smashed. Tsuna fell on his behind and groaned inwardly. Oh great. In addition, this small physical activity left him feeling exhausted, so Tsuna just sat on the cold floor, sighing. He was really going back to his idiotic clumsy self.

The light flickered on.

Tsuna heard a flurry of shoes before feeling gentle arms coax him up from the floor.

"Tsunayoshi! What are you doing on the floor?" (Tsuna bit back a tired, sarcastic retort)

"I'll sweep this up." another voice.

"Bring the doctor!"

"I'll help."

There were unfamiliar faces and a garbled voices. Tsuna couldn't seem to take in what they were saying, as they put him back in him bed. He tried to talk.

"Could I please talk to Doctor – er – Gokudera, alone?" he asked. Immediately the gaggle of nurses went silent.

"Right here," The gruff voice answered.

Tsuna peered over and with relief, saw Gokudera, who was scowling. Ah. He nearly smiled. This was indeed strange. Gokudera had pink hair, much like G, and was wearing an extremely wrinkled white coat.

When they were alone –

"Please, Hayato explain what is going on! Why does everything feel strange? What happened with that other family? Where am I? Also, where is my Ring? Is it safe? "

Gokudera stood just looking at him, his hands in his doctor's coat. It looked so odd on him.

"Why aren't you answering?" Tsuna asked, getting a little frustrated.

Gokudera's frown grew deeper. He came closer, and reached out with one clenched fist. "Open your hand."

Tsuna obliged. Gokudera placed an object in it. "Here's the ring." Tsuna smiled.

"Thank you-" he stared. In his palm was a plastic, orange ring, with a tattered red cord looped through it.

Tsuna eyes filled with confusion. "This isn't my ring-"

"Yes it is. You never part with it. Only during your last episode we took the ring from you because we were afraid you would choke yourself with it."

"But this isn't my ring," Tsuna repeated. A faint curl of dread twisted unpleasantly in his stomach.

"Are you referring to the Sky Vongola Ring? The one that means you are the true successor of Primo's blood, the 10th Vongola? Has some little lion thing on it?"

"Yes! Hayato, why are you-"

"Unfortunately, there is no such thing. The thing you have in your hand is the object you're referring to."

"What-" Tsuna's jaw dropped. "Then how do you know- why-"

"Because you told us."

"Yes- so it's true! I tell you it exists!"

"No. That is impossible. There is no such thing as the 'Vongola Rings.' There is no such thing as the mafia family called the Vongola."

"But-but the Vongola Family...it's my life. And it's also yours, Hayato." Tsuna said, his voice raising. "Look at me Hayato, and tell me you don't believe it, that it doesn't exist!"

Gokudera looked straight into Tsuna's eyes. They were so bright green, Tsuna thought, absently. And chillingly honest.

"Yes. The Vongola is now your life, and unfortunately, it is also my duty also. The Vongola Institute for the Violent and Mentally Unstable."

At Tsuna's stunned expression, he continued. "I know what you're thinking. But, this in not an alternate universe. There is no such thing as alternate universes. You told us all about them. And-" Gokudera leaned closer to Tsuna. His voice dropped, "-it is impossible because you have not left this hospital since you were thirteen years old."

Gokudera abruptly straightened up. He attempted to smooth out the wrinkles on his coat before turning his back to Tsuna as he headed for the door. At the doorway, he paused.

"A pity, Tsuna. You were doing so well."