YEAH! I'm alive… barely

Just too busy so I'm afraid updates will be sloooow

Sorry for the inconvenience, and for everyone who enjoyed Capro espiatorio this is the sequel –DRUMS PLAYING….-

THE LOST LAMB

Chapter 1: In the care of wolves.

It's only the ones who manage all the paperwork in an hospital that really understands the sheer number of people that comes in and out of it, some of them repeatedly. A few escaped ones, some, dropping out unexpectedly, entire groups coming in from accidents with no papers or identifications, abandoned children found in the streets in bad conditions, in, out, in, out, all day long, every single day.

One would think, and probably be right, that errors often occur in such situations. Hopefully, the patient, his or her family can detect such mistakes.

Usually.

One day in April an unknown child was sent to the town in Nanimori, he was placed in a room with three others with the same diagnosis: coma. Three months later, one child woke up and his family was found, everybody was happy. One year later, another miracle happened, and the second child opened his eyes. Sadly the child had severe brain damage, leaving him in permanent care, in a clinic for such cases.

The third one didn't wake up. Instead he was installed in a room at the top floor. This, to prevent the child, whom had somewhat damaged lungs, to catch an infection. It had been an unintentional mistake to place him in the 'forbidden room' because it was an unwritten rule that NO ONE should be placed in there.

So, when a young teenager with an almost tangible black aura entered HIS room, and noticed the menace in it, he glared, and glared, and glared at the sleeping child. When the other didn't react to the murderous vibes, he grew curious. No one could resist completely his death glare, and the heart monitor just mocked him with the steady, calm pace it marked.

"Who is this?" He finally asked at the trembling nurse at his side, who was almost at the point of fainting from the death intent coming from the almost child. She was relatively new and could not understand the notion of the entire hospital obeying the rules of a little brat, who, supposedly was the relative of some high seated person, but now, in front of those eyes and that aggressive posture she could only babble and bow in submission, and wonder if perhaps the obedience of the staff was also for other reasons. "Eh…eh?.. oh! this… uhm he… he is in a coma!"

The eyes of the teenager got increasingly annoyed and she started to sweat while clasping the table in panic. "I asked who he was, not his illness herbivore…" Hissed the child and she felt a shiver in her spine.

"W-we don't know his name… he came here about a year and a half ago… IM SORRY! but we are full and I cannot move him by myself because of his ventilator and the machines!" The cold eyes moved away from her and she sighed."As long as he is quiet…" He said finally and the nurse took this as her opportunity to flee the room, praying for the small child left in there.

It was to the surprise of the staff in the hospital, that not only Hibari seemed not to mind the presence of the comatose boy, but he also seemed less aggressive towards the staff with the boy in the room. This resulted in the level and number of injuries dropping a little. So, the child remained in the room.

One joke, made from a careless intern, calling the kid as 'Hibari's boy' made him just that for all the another foolish resident spouted the nickname in front of Hibari, he only got a kick in the stomach for it, which in in Hibari's language equaled to acceptance, or at least, not complete refusal of the title.

The child remained in the room, and Hibari Kyoya remained the sole other occupant of that room. The dark haired child always came to the hospital covered in bruises and with a heavy scowl. Several times with fractures that he didn't let the doctors treat. He would enter the room and glance at the sleeping child in the room; and the scowl would go down just a little bit, just enough to give the doctor in charge the opportunity to treat the teenager.

At thirteen, Hibari Kyoya was becoming a feared character in the small town, and there were rumors of a small group of teenagers following the almost child and obeying his every wish.

The sleeping child seemed to be the only thing that could calm down a little bit the always furious teenager. So, the sleeping mystery became a most protected and loved commodity in the hospital. One that was protected against well and bad meaning social workers, and suspicious uncles and mothers who miraculously recognized the child as theirs. Usually, the staff reported the latter directly to Hibari.

It was another newbie nurse, who confused at the nickname, wrote down 'Hibari' in the monthly report of the hospital, thus, making him a Hibari in the eyes of the authorities. No one noticed this until the information was already in the electronic database, and no one was brave enough to declare the mistake to one Kyoya Hibari, and no one did.

Italy... six months later.

In a small town at the outskirts of Palermo, an unusual meeting was taking place. The room was well furnished and equipped, but it had a museum quality to it, almost fake, as if prepared hastily just for the sake of said meeting; one that could decide the future of three of the six families of Palermo.

The center of the room was dominated by a polished oak table. The three bosses of the Greco, Corleonesi and recently formed Alliano, families were seated in one side of the table; one next the other with their respective bodyguards behind them. In the opposite side there was a single chair, right in the middle and across from the three men.

The head of the Greco family stared at the empty chair in mounting irritation; even though it was not yet the time for the meeting he could see the unspoken message at the empty chair.

The Vongola were telling them just how unimportant they were.

The only door in the room opened and a young man entered the room, he was tall and lanky, his hair a shockingly pale red, almost pink color. His eyes quickly taking into the room and staring sharply at each person inside, Fredo, the head of the Greco felt himself stiffen at the hard, almost red eyes, the man gave a silent signal to someone behind him and a second pair of steps could be heard.

That was when Fredo took his first look at the already famous successor of the Vongola. Pale, of average height and blond, he was handsome enough, but the remains of baby fat still in the face gave him a soft air.

He hated him on sight.

He sneered at the teenager that approached the lone chair with a regal air, with the carefree air of a spoiled child.

His anger increased when the one who took the chair was said boy, and not the first man, hoping that the brat had been brought as an observant. He started to grit his teeth when he took a good look at the first man, and noticed that he was also very young, a little bit older, if not the same age as the Vongola brat.

"Gentlemen, congratulations for being here on time, we appreciate your thoughtful manners." Started the blond brat with a calm suave voice. The other teen with the vibrant colored hair deposited a portfolio in the table taking out three, tick, stacks of papers and pushed one in front of each man.

"This is my right hand, Gualterio Diasparra. From the Diasparra family. And my name is Giotto Leoni, the first candidate for the successor of the Vongola, as you might know." Resting his clasped hands on the table, the blond teen stared calmly at the three formidable men in front of him. "As you requested to be heard by an important member of the Vongola; and because we are truly concerned about this, it was deemed that the heir of our current boss would be the representative." He said with a bland smile and a small uplifting of a delicate eyebrow.

"That's it, if you don't think that the successor of the ninth boss and his own son is good enough?"

The two men at the left and right of Fabio profusely assured the teen of their agreement but Fabio remained silently glaring at the boy in front of him. "I'm not, this is a serious matter not a field trip for some daycare, and this is as good as slap in the face from you Vongola." Spat the man glaring at the teen in front of him. He would not bow to this barely post-pubescent boy.

"Oh? But it was apparently very urgent, and your messenger made it sound as if a war was just about to break out here in Palermo." A small tilt of the head and half-mast eyes completed the almost too innocent look in the blonde's face, which served to ignite a small spark of caution inside of the man, which was ignored in favor of the rage.

"This is not a game for children like you!" He said and made to stand up but a cold sensation in his temple made him freeze, at his side, glaring menacingly, was the red haired boy with a gun pointed directly at his temple, at his side, he could see his bodyguard being held in place by a gun between his eyes, which was in the other hand of the boy, he had not even detected the movement or the attack.

"Please G; don't be upset, the gentleman is clearly under much stress." Pacified the teenager, he smiled benignly and nodded to himself. "Now, we can be civil about this, can't we?" Said Giotto in a soft drawl, as if separating two quarreling children. Then signore Manfredo and Lorenzo as we agreed your families will continue to be by our side, and we do appreciate all your help in this unfortunate matter." Said Giotto to the two other men who smiled hesitantly at him, stuttering pleasantries and smiling too widely.

"Yes, yes, of course my friends, now if you don't mind I would love to have a private chat with our dear traitor." he said with a sweet smile. The two men vacated the room so quickly and efficiently that it looked almost choreographed.

"Signore Fabio… I'm disappointed about your actions these past months…" Giotto took out a fourth folder from the still opened portfolio and took out three photos, and gently deposited them in front of the rapidly paling man. "We, the Vongola do not take kindly to traitors. These past two days I have been having some very interesting conversations about you."

"W-what? I don't know what you're talking about." Said the man in a barely composed voice, because, suddenly, the boy before him looked dangerous and not so innocent anymore. "G, if you would be so kind to escort Signore Fabio's helper outside?" Said Giotto to his friend, who had already rendered unconscious the bodyguard. He nodded and almost effortlessly carried away the man like a burdensome sack of potatoes.

"…this is an outrage you spineless child, you… agh!" In one moment the man had been looking at the door and then he was suddenly pinned to the table by a deceptively delicate hand in his neck, and an uncomfortable heat, almost burning but not quite."Now, signore, let's talk…" Said a cold and emotionless voice at his side and he stopped breathing in caution, finally recognizing the danger before him.

Outside the door G ignited his twenty-seventh cigarette of the day. He had promised himself not to smoke anymore; after surprising Hayato with one death stick in his mouth. However, the promise was invariably broken at every meeting like this. Each scream coming from the door chipped away his composure and calm, leaving him with twitching and trembling hands, something he could not afford.

Fifteen minutes later, the door opened and a passive Giotto exited the room almost casually. They went to the car parked outside, only to notice the area around it completely covered in craters and scorched areas. A few meters beyond, five men were sprawled completely unconscious.

"You are getting better Hayato." Said Giotto with a soft smile and G frowned at his singed cousin who was still panting slightly and had several grazes of bullets in his clothes. Gokudera took one look at him and G cursed, because he had not managed to extinguish his smoke in time, the teen gave him a cheeky smirk and he knew that he had now a zero chance of making the almost child to stop smoking.

"He should drive us to the hotel, don't you think G?" Continued Giotto and he nodded, because it was almost as good as saying 'I want to talk behind soundproof glass' "Really? Oh… thank you Decimo! I will not disappoint you!" Said the still small teen and G almost, almost smiled at the enthusiastic face, because he knew that nowadays Gokudera gushed and behaved like a saint in front of Giotto in hopes of finally getting the approval of becoming once more Tsuna's bodyguard.

Giotto chuckled but G noticed the forced gesture almost immediately. Since he knew that his boss, his friend, hated such insincere acts. They got inside the car and Gokudera went under the vehicle; checking for traps, listening devices and explosives. He opened every door and checked inside the machinery in almost two minutes, G was grudgingly proud of him.

"He is getting most difficult to deny…" Whispered his friend and G looked sharply at him. The Tsuna issue had become a taboo. It was an unwritten rule that not even the name was to be mentioned by any member of the famiglia, even between them the child was mostly an avoided topic.

"He is becoming one of our best ones… Tumeric cannot stop singing his praises at his 'pupil'." Contiued the blond and G snorted. Since it was true; the CEDEF member was gushing mess every time Hayato was mentioned. The problem was that every single praise was irrefutable and correct. In two years Gokudera had become a truly frightening expert on security and defense. The child was bright almost borderline genius, and with a single mind focus that was a hairline away from obsession.

"Also he hates me more and more each day for taking away his precious Tsuna-sama." Continued Giotto with a surprisingly tone of bitterness, jealousy? "We all miss him…" Said G, because, what else could he say?

"Mm…" Said the blond and G frowned once more, even he could not understand the almost blind devotion his cousin had developed at the small brunette. Ever since that day he had become even more determined to be at his side, sometimes he was worried about what would happen the next time Giotto or Iemitsu rejected his petition.

"He is planning of asking again in December…" He confided Giotto, because whatever it was, it would not be pretty, and Gokudera was beyond the point of being pacified with a warning glance.

"December already?... can't you delay him a little bit? we will be too busy in those days to add an angsty teenager. Especially one who prefers explosives." Half joked Giotto and G saw as Gokudera frowned in the mirror at them, he cursed as he remembered that Tumeric had said something about lip-reading. He nodded sharply at the road and he was satisfied with a small blush in the pale face of the child. He then looked at the almost too innocent looking Giotto and frowned at him. He was taking a petty revenge for the earlier groveling .

"Really, it was too cruel a revenge for some groveling. Don't you think? He only wants to help the one he considers his boss " He chastised his friend who looked a little bit embarrassed at the words. "Sorry… I'm just… irritated…" Said the teen closing his eyes and resting his hands on his forehead, G noticed the faint tremors in the paled hands, and he knew that a few years before his friend would have been almost at the verge of tears by now.

"You didn't…" He asked tentatively, looking at his friend. "He's alive… but he will be in need of a very good doctor. And a long rehabilitation." Whispered the teen and G nodded sharply.

"It's not too late to run you know? With you gone those geezers won't have anyone to turn to, but your brother…. How is the bastard by the way?" He asked only to look at the flinch that the word caused in his friend. He had never managed to get a full account of that night but he had his suspicions. "He is working to the death his victims… eh members. Apparently he has gained a liking to red wine in the last months, father was not amused…"

"Che! He will die first of a bullet that from some liver disease. He should just be grateful is not some weird stuff. Like that guy, Lussuria. I'm sure he is into some pretty heavy drugs." He smiled at the surprised laugh form his friend at his jab, but then stiffened when two small cars appeared behind them. A heartbeat latter, he felt Gokudera starting to make some evasive maneuvers and he clasped his gun. Giotto continued to be sprawled in the seat and looked at him with an almost bored look.

"However, it is too late now for running."

REVIEW?

Sorry for grammar mistakes, and if anybody is kind enough to beta this I would hug him, at least virtually... :) I will try to correct any mistakes if pointed thanks !