It started innocently enough. As Tsuna's family grew, it just made more sense to have the Vongola parties at Takesushi instead of the Boss' home. Of course, no one would hear of Nana staying home… she was stuck there by herself far too often. And of course, when she and Yamamoto-san cooked together, it was pure magic. Everyone agreed on that.

As she spent more time with Tsuna and his new friends, she couldn't help but notice how… reliable Yamamoto-san was. No matter what chaos was brought into his restaurant, he just laughed and moved through it. She also noticed how kind he was to all the children, especially her Tsu-kun. The brunette finally concluded that he was a big part of why her son had changed from such a dame child to the strong, happy young man he was. She loved Iemitsu… but she had to admit that Yamamoto-san was a very good father.

They started spending time together without the kids around, planning holiday meals and birthdays. Nana noticed that Yamamoto-san's eyes were always warm, and it seemed that his laughter was never far below the surface. She found herself enjoying his company, especially when they could talk about what their boys were up to. She was, however, beginning to believe that there wasn't a serious man on the planet… at least Yamamoto-san didn't make wildly inappropriate remarks and drink until he passed out every night… the spiteful thought crossed her mind a couple times, but she never voiced it; Iemitsu had been good to her, as much as he could be.

The night she discovered Yamamoto-san's serious side would forever be ingrained in her mind. She had left the house late, heading to Takesushi to share dinner with the sushi chef. Tsuna was missing and Takeshi, Ipin, and Lambo had all disappeared that morning. She was assured by Bianchi that they were doing everything they could to find the children, but that didn't stop her from worrying. She knew that the gentle chef had to be worried as well, so when the empty house got the best of her anxieties, she made up a quick meal and headed out the door.

Namimori had always been such a peaceful place, so being surrounded by a group of thugs less than 100 feet from Takesushi was terrifying. She did the first thing that came to her mind… she screamed at the top of her lungs. One of the thugs grabbed her arm and covered her mouth; she clung to the dish in her hand, some random idea to keep it as a weapon crossing her frightened mind. There was a grunt behind them and the punk turned in time to see his comrades on the ground, bloody and beaten. Yamamoto-san stood in the middle of the road, his normally warm brown eyes ice cold and narrow. "Release the woman now, or I feed you steel." The easy way he held the katana to the side made Nana's eyes widen slightly… she didn't know he could fight. The delinquent shoved her towards the brunet and ran off.

"Sawada-san, are you all right?" The chef's voice was soft as he wrapped his free arm around her waist, gently steering her towards the back of the restaurant. When they got inside, he carefully sat her down at his kitchen table, stroking her back for a moment before walking to a far cabinet. Nana closed her eyes, trying to calm her shaking. It was nice to have a strong arm around her and a presence near her when she was scared or upset. The clink of a ceramic cup made her open her eyes. Yamamoto-san poured them each a shot of sake. "Drink. It'll help." He smiled warmly at her as he lifted his cup to his lips. She felt her own eyes twinkle back at him, despite her still shaking hands, and followed his instructions, downing the fiery liquid in one go.

He chuckled softly, nodding in approval before he swallowed his. He picked the bottle up and refilled both cups, making her giggle. "Feeling better, Sawada-san?"

"Hai… thank you, Yamamoto-san." She blinked down at the dish in her hand, then laughed again. "I brought dinner…" She looked up at him shyly, biting her lip. "I didn't want to stay at the house tonight, and I thought you might be just as anxious, with Take-kun missing…"

Yamamoto-san nodded and grabbed plates from the cabinet. His voice was slightly muffled with his back turned as he spoke. "Please, Sawada-san… call me Tsuyoshi." He turned with a smile and Nana couldn't help but notice that he was cute when he blushed.

"Ie… A-all right, but only if you call me Nana…. Sawada-san makes me feel so old." She flipped her hand at him, blushing prettily and giggling again. She wasn't exactly sure what she was doing, but she felt very comfortable at the moment. Maybe it was just having someone else to spend time with… she picked up the cup again as Tsuyoshi served them her still warm meal and took a sip. It really was nice….

Dinner was a bit of a blur. She knew that she laughed more than she had in years, and that she enjoyed the sound of the sushi chef's easy chuckle. She also discovered that the counter was the perfect height for him to kiss her easily, and that she liked the feel of his warm, calloused hands on her waist. When he hoarsely suggested the bedroom, she didn't even hesitate, wrapping her arms around his neck when he picked her up. She also remembered her clothes hitting the floor first, and the way he stopped and stared at her made her feel beautiful.

Everything else was warm hands, wet mouths, soft sighs, and sharp, bright explosions of pleasure that finally sent them both spiraling into sleep.

The strawberry-blonde slowly opened her eyes, yawning. She started to stretch, stopping at the feel of warm flesh next to her. Her head turned slowly and she blushed fiercely at Tsuyoshi's sleeping form laying next to her. She could feel the sheets on her bare flesh and it didn't take a genius to realize he was naked as well. Everything from the night before rushed back to her and she gasped softly, covering her mouth. What was she thinking?! She was a married woman…

The sushi chef stretched and yawned, unaware of his lover's distress as he ran a hand over her stomach. "Good morning…"

Nana looked at him, biting her lip. "Tsu…. Tsuyoshi… I'm m-married…" Large tears slipped down her cheeks as the full weight of what they'd done hit her. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… I should go…"

Tsuyoshi shook his head, pulling her into his arms and tucking her head under his chin. He rocked her gently, rubbing small circles in her back. "Shh… I'm sorry, Nana… I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..." He kissed the top of her head, then lifted her face gently by her chin so he could look into her eyes. "Nana… I'm sorry that you're still married… but I'm not sorry about last night." A wry chuckled escaped him. "I'm really, really sorry that you're still married…"

She stared up at him, a bit scared at what he was suggesting. She wanted it so badly, but… didn't that make her a terrible person? "Tsuyoshi, I…"

He nodded, closing her mouth with a finger. "You're still in love with him, I know. But if I don't take this opportunity, I'm going to regret it forever. I love you, Nana. I've been in love with you since Takeshi first invited you over. I haven't felt like this since my wife died… you're an amazing woman." He smiled gently, then removed his finger, and replaced it with his lips, kissing her deeply.

Nana's arms slid around his neck and she tilted her head, kissing him back. She was married… but she knew better than to say she was still in love with Iemitsu. The gentle, sweet man in her arms was everything that her husband was not… everything that she needed. Reliable, safe, and devoted to both his son and hers. A spiteful voice in the back of her mind, one she had ignored for years noted that she'd be happy to tell Iemitsu all this… if he ever bothered to show back up again.

The gentle chef pulled back, stroking a finger across her still-damp cheek. "Even if I have nothing else… I have this memory." He started to move away, and was stopped by her hand on his chest.

"You're wrong…" Her voice was a breathy whisper. She couldn't believe she was about to say this… but she knew without a doubt that it was true. "I-I don't love Iemitsu. I haven't for… quite some time, honestly. Alcohol or not, I would not have gone to bed with a man that I…" She dropped her gaze, blushing brightly again. "… a man that I didn't love."

Tsuyoshi stared at her in shock, his eyes wide and almost afraid. "Nana…"

She smiled at his uncertainty; it was just another trait that she loved about him. Lifting her head, she pressed her lips to his in a fierce but sweet kiss. When his arms wrapped around her again, she pressed herself against him, knowing full well what she was agreeing to and welcoming it with open arms… and a free heart.

The next morning, she walked home with her dish and a spring in her step. She was still worried for her son, and his friends… but she couldn't help the small smile that played about her lips. She was truly happy, for the first time in a long time.

She walked into the front door of her house and lifted her voice. "Bianchi, are you home?"

"She's upstairs." The clipped words came from a voice she knew far too well and she spun, dropping the dish in her arms. She barely registered the shatter of one of her favorite pans as she stared at her husband. "I-Iemitsu! Wh-what are you doing home?"

"I should be asking you why you AREN'T home? Did you just forget that our son is missing? Or do you not give a damn?" He was furious, hands balled into fists at his side.

Nana felt her eyes widen, then narrow. The fury that ripped through her would not be laughed away this time. "How DARE you?! How dare you come here and demand if ~I~ have forgotten our son? Did you remember his birthday? Or Christmas? Or school?" She was shaking, her voice ice cold and soft. "Did you remember that I've been here, doing my best for him while you are out gallivanting all over the world? How dare you ask me if I've forgotten my Tsu-kun?"

"Nana, you know I've been busy with.."

"Work. I know. The only thing in the world that ACTUALLY matters to you is work." She stormed past him into the kitchen, ignoring the shattered plate that crunched under her forgotten shoes.

He followed behind. Where was this coming from? His Nana was usually so pleasant when he came home… when he found her missing too, he was scared. And then, for her to just waltz back in like nothing happened…. "Where were you?"

"Why do you care?" She snapped back at him, eyeing the kitchen. She stalked over to the sink and started on the dishes.

"What the hell do you mean, why do I care?! You're my goddamned wife and I…" He stopped dead when she whirled, a sharp butcher's knife pointed at him.

"Don't. You. Dare." She hissed out, knuckles white on the knife. "Don't you DARE say you were worried, or you love me, or any other line of bullshit that you want to spew." She threw the knife back into the sink, stalking over to him. "You only love yourself… and that job of yours. There is no room in your heart or your mind for anything else. And if Bianchi hadn't contacted you to find out if you had information, you wouldn't have even KNOWN your son was missing." She slammed her fists into his chest, shoving him back a couple of steps. "Get out. Now. Do not ever come back here, SAWADA-SAN. I don't want you here, in any form."

He grabbed her arm as she turned away from him. "You can't just…"

A cool voice from the doorway made him pause. "I would suggest you release her, Sawada-san." Bianchi stepped in, and the Young Lion of Vongola stared at the steaming dumpling in her hand. "You will remove your hands from Maman, and you will leave this property." She walked up and stood behind the brunette, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Iemitsu narrowed his eyes. "I will leave when she tells me where she was for two days."

Nana smiled… a cold, almost cruel smile. He had hurt and abandoned her so much… She didn't realize she had a mean streak in her until she looked at her (almost ex-) husband. "I was with a man that loves me and cares for my child more than you ever will. You are no longer welcome here, Sawada-san. I will have Reborn and Bianchi send you the divorce papers." She turned away from him, not wanting him to see how much joy and pain were in her eyes. She was throwing away her marriage of almost 16 years… but really, didn't she deserve a little happiness? Didn't Tsu-kun deserve a father that loved him more than once every 5 years?

"It is time for you to leave, Sawada-san. Don't worry about Maman, we'll make sure she's well cared for." Bianchi's voice was soothing to the brunette, and strengthened her resolve. She didn't turn until the crunch of glass and the click of the front door announced Iemitsu's departure.

"Bianchi… tell me I did the right thing…" Tears slid down her cheeks as the full weight of what she'd done hit her.

"Hai, Maman… you should have done that years ago." The purplenette pulled Nana into her arms, stroking her back gently and letting her cry.

After a bit, Nana's tears slowed and stopped, allowing her to take a deep breath. Bianchi's mischievous grin caught her off-guard. "Am I to assume that things went… well, with Yamamoto-san?"

The brunette blushed and nodded, hands flying to her cheeks in embarrassment. "H-hai… I just…" She shook her head, laughing softly. "I have laundry to do, Bianchi…"

The warm alto laugh of the younger woman made Nana smile as she grabbed her clothes, heading outside.

The little kids jumping on her was Nana's first indication that Tsuna was back. She hugged them both tightly, thrilled to see them again. She could hear Iemitsu's voice from the gate and ground her teeth through her smile… she didn't know what he might say to their son, but she couldn't deny him the right to talk.

Tsuna walked into the back yard and smiled widely at her. "Heya, Kaa-san… Sorry for taking so long." She loved how sheepish he looked.

"Are you all right, Tsu-kun?" When he nodded, she smiled and sent the little ones inside to find Bianchi and get something to eat. She started to follow, but he put his hand on her arm. She didn't realize he'd gotten so tall; he looked her in the eye, concern shining in his eyes.

"Are YOU all right?" At her puzzled look, he motioned toward the gate. "Iemitsu told me."

She bit her lip, wondering what exactly he'd told their son. "He did?"

"Hai." Tsu-kun narrowed his eyes a bit, rubbing her arm. "I don't care about the divorce… you should have done that a long time ago. But… who was it, Kaa-san?" He was not going to have some scumbag taking advantage of his sweet mother.

Nana blushed and looked away. She was not having this conversation with her son…

"Okaasan… Who. Was. It?" His voice was so stern and cool… she looked up at him, startled into telling the truth before she thought about it.

"Y-yamamoto-san…"

"HIEE!?" Tsuna took a step back, staring at her in shock. When he started laughing, she wasn't sure what to think. Had her son lost his mind?

"That… that's perfect, Kaasan!" He caught his breath and wrapped her in a hug, kissing her cheek. "Does he make you happy?"

She nodded, still blushing.

"Good." Tsuna was thrilled, both for his mother and for the man he'd grown to admire. That did not, however, mean that Reborn's sadistic streak had been repressed… Not by a long shot. He pulled out his phone and dialed the Yamamoto residence.

"Hai, Yamamoto! … Is he? … Ha ha, that's good!" He almost felt guilty for what he was about to do… almost. "Speaking of your otousan… may I speak with him? … Yeah, it's important. Hai."

Nana choked, reaching for the phone. Tsuna dodged away from her, all the training he'd received made it like child's play.

"Hai, Yamamoto-san. We have to talk. … Well, I don't appreciate people taking advantage of my okaasan's kindness." He grinned cheekily at Nana, who was desperately reaching for the phone. He couldn't help but notice how, even though she was embarrassed, her eyes were dancing with a happiness that had been missing before… she looked like a teenager. "I think you and your son should get over here. Now." He hung up the phone quickly, before his mother's antics could make him laugh. "Don't you think he should know, kaa-san?"

"Tsunayoshi! That's embarrassing! How could you?" She was laughing and mortified at the same time, clutching her blushing cheeks.

He leaned over and kissed her cheek between her fingers, smiling. "Because… you deserve only the best."

AN: A present for the lovely SkyGem. I don't know how in the world this has become multi-chapter... but it has. You'll see soon enough. Enjoy!