Title: You Never Really Know How Much Something's Worth Unless You're Threatened to Lose It

Disclaimer: I do not own this anime

Chapter 1

Amidst the many patients, a pregnant woman emerged, stepping into the therapist's office.

"Ah, Mrs. Rokudo, welcome! Have a seat!" the therapist, Mrs. Shou, said.

"Hello, um…well…shall we get started?" the blonde woman said, shyly.

"Of course," the other said, clapping her hands. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Well, it's about Mukuro, my husband."

"I see." Mrs. Shou wrote something down before gesturing for the other to continue.

"Well, ever since he found out I was pregnant four months ago, he stopped showing me affection," she said. Outside, Mukuro's hand stopped at the doorknob. He had seen his wife going into the building and was curious as to why she had gone there. Now all he felt was angst.

"Hmm," the therapist murmured, writing on the clipboard she had with her.

"He used to be so…close. Now, he feels all…cold." She shook her head. "At first I thought it was only because of the mood-swings one suffers when one is pregnant—that I'd just deluded myself into thinking that—but it got worse and worse, to the point of when he doesn't even smile at me anymore. Plus he's always late coming home. I don't know what to do anymore…" she said, her voice shaking. She hugged herself and outside, Mukuro mentally smacked himself for putting his wife through all this. 'I should have been straight with her…instead of putting her through all this pain.'

"What are your theories on that?" Mrs. Shou asked, tapping her clipboard. "Do you think he has another woman?"

Diana—Mrs. Rokudo—laughed shakily. "Oh, I try not to think like that," she said, patting her abdomen lovingly. "Depression will be bad for the child, wont it?"

"Yes, but it's even worse if you hold it all in like that," the therapist noted.

Said woman nodded and sighed, loosening her control over the tears, all while hugging her shaking frame tightly, as if to keep herself from falling apart. "I-I love him so much. It hurts me to see that he doesn't harbor the same feelings for me as he did before anymore!

"It hurts, it hurts…" she repeated.

The therapist looked at her, absolute pity in her eyes. Said woman stood up and pulled the other into a comforting embrace. "There, there. That's right, pour it all out. It'll get better, I know it will," she said, rubbing the fragile woman's back as she shook, sobbed and clung to her.

Though the uncertainty was visible in the woman's supposingly comforting words, Diana welcomed them and continued to sob.

Outside, Mukuro started to run for their apartment, thinking, 'What have I done to poor Diana? How could I be so selfish? I should cook something for her when she gets back and I swear on my illusionist's dignity that I will make her feel loved, even if I've lost my love for her.'

Reaching the apartment, he was greeted by his secret girlfriend, Chrome Dokuro.

"Ah! Mukuro-sama! I was wondering why you wouldn't answer the door!" she said, hugging the indigo-haired man.

He hugged her back for a moment, loosing himself in his affection for the indigo-haired woman, but suddenly remembered what had taken place a while ago and pulled away. Chrome looked at him disapprovingly and clung to his arm. "What are you doing, Mukuro-sama?"

"Ah, Chrome, why don't you come inside? There's something I need to talk to you about," he said grimly. He did not want to part with his lovely Chrome, but still, he had to. 'This is in compensation for the unforgivable things I did to Diana,' he kept repeating to himself in his head.

Chrome looked at him with questioning eyes as he fumbled with the keys to the apartment.

Finally, after clumsily opening the door—it was the nerves—he and Chrome stepped inside, and he led Chrome to the living room, telling her to sit on the sofa.

"Mukuro-sama, what's wrong?" Chrome asked, her eyes pleading. "Why do you look so…grim?"

Her eyes sent a pang to Mukuro's heart and he looked away. Slowly, as his bangs covered his eyes, he said with utmost passion, "Chrome, I love you…but—"

His statement was stopped when he heard something drop to the floor and turned to see a shivering Diana on the verge of tears and a spilled tub of his favorite vanilla ice cream on the ground. Chrome gasped and Mukuro became paralyzed.

"Diana!" Mukuro exclaimed once he thawed out. "This…this isn't what it looks like!"

Tears flowed from her eyes as Diana turned and ran as fast as she could towards her secret room; her soundproof room wherein she could release everything that she needed and wanted to release. Still, even that wasn't fast enough and she ended up getting caught just as she was sitting down on the cold, steel floor of the room.

Mukuro looked around the room and saw that there were all types of graffiti on the walls. Things like: "Kyaa! Mukuro! I love you!" and "Why is he so cold these days?" He winced at those.

"Diana…" he murmured, kneeling in front of his former lover. "Is this…is this where you went to pour out your feelings when I couldn't…no…wouldn't listen."

Diana hugged her legs and looked down, nodding once. A lump formed in Mukuro's throat.

"I-I'm so sor—"

"It's fine," Diana said, looking at him, tears still flowing endlessly down her cheeks. "It's fine. I know now that Mukuro doesn't feel the same way for me anymore. You don't have to force yourself."

She cupped his cheek with one hand and Mukuro put a hand on her's. "If Mukuro loves Chrome-san, then I won't stop him. I won't force myself on him. It's okay."

He looked at her with wide eyes. "You…mean…"

She smiled sweetly at him. "It's alright with me if you want to be with Chrome-san. And I promise I won't do anything reckless like committing suicide. I do still have this child!"

Mukuro smiled and hugged her. "Thank you, thank you so much, Diana!" He pulled away, said, "I'm going to go tell Chrome!" and left, leaving Diana alone.

The door shut and finally, Diana was able to scream.

Chapter 2

As the months slowly passed by, Mukuro became engaged to Chrome, though he still lived in the same apartment with Diana—they had separate rooms.

Five months passed and the baby was finally born. It was male, so Diana named him Mukuro Jr. as he had the same heterochromatic eyes as Mukuro, save for the Chinese number on his right eye.

One day, as Mukuro and Chrome came home from a date, they found Mukuro Jr. in a blue carrier with a note attached to his bib. Mukuro raised his eyebrow on the fact that Diana was nowhere to be found.

Chrome opened the note and gasped, her hand going to her mouth. Still her words were distinguishable. "No…she wouldn't!"

Mukuro took the note from her and his eyes widened. He dropped the note and dashed for the rooftop.

Dear Mukuro…

I remember the first day we met…I remember how happy I was when we became lovers and I certainly remembered our first night together as a married couple.

And now that we've grown apart, all that I can think is: 'What went wrong?'

I always gave my love to you and you always seemed to be there for me…so why?

Please, if you can, come to the rooftop of our apartment's building and answer my question…

If not, then I fear that my question will be left forever unanswered.

With all my love and tears, Diana Rayne

P.S. to Chrome-san

Please take care of M.J. even if I was the one who bore him, I hope you treat him as if her was your own…

'No…no…NO!' was all Mukuro could think as he ran, taking three steps at a time.

Finally, the door that led to the rooftop was in sight and he heard the faint sound of Diana's sweet singing voice; a voice that any nightingale would trade its soul for.

Kiss me sweet

I'm sleeping in silence

All alone in ice and snow

In my dream I'm calling your name

You do not come

In your eyes

I search for my memories

As I yearn for our lost love

Hold me tight and whisper into my ear

"You are my love…

We'll never be apart…"

'You promised!' Mukuro thought as he roughly swung the door open as he ran and he was momentarily blinded by the brightness that met his eyes.

As his eyes adjusted, he was greeted by the sight of Diana in a white sun dress. Eyes open and overflowing with tears as she sang. He reached a hand out to her and shouted, "NO! DON'T!"

She smiled and continued her song.

I wait patiently for you to come

And love me again

If only you still loved me

I might still have a chance

In my dream

I'm calling your name

Hold me tight and say my favorite phrase

"I am yours…

And you are mine…

You are my love…

We'll never be apart…"

Her song ended and Mukuro reached her, standing about three feet from her. Behind him, Chrome appeared, breathless.

Diana's sweet smile never wavered. "Have you come to answer my question, Mukuro?" The name still made her throat and heart hurt.

"NO! I've come to stop this madness!"

She frowned.

"You promised none of this recklessness!"

Diana's smile returned. "Because! I see that it hurts Mukuro to see that I'm still in love with him. I can see that it hurts you a lot. Is it wrong for me to want to take the pain away? Shouldn't you be happy?"

"Who the hell would be happy about THIS!?"

"I love you," she said. "I love you…and so I'm going to make the pain go away." She took a step back, making her only a hairsbreadth away from the away from the edge. "Bye bye," she said, jumping off.

"NO!" Mukuro said, running towards her. He almost jumped as well, had he not been stopped by Chrome.

He looked down, where his former lover was still falling.

'This is all for the best,' Diana thought as she fell.

Chapter 3

"Has she showed any signs of waking up yet, doctor?" Mukuro asked the man in the white lab coat, who checked his clipboard and shook his head.

"I see, thank you," Mukuro sighed, collapsing onto the couch as the doctor exited.

The good news: As Diana was falling, a stationary bus cushioned her fall from the top of the three story building. The bad news: It's been three months and she still hasn't woken up from her coma.

Someone knocked on the door and Sawada Tsunayoshi came in, a bouquet in hand. "Hey there, I came to see if she's woken up yet."

Mukuro shook his head dejectedly and Tsuna patted his back. "Hang in there, she'll come 'round soon enough."

Tears escaped Mukuro's control. "It's been three months!"

"You can't lose hope, Mukuro. Have some faith in her. She believed in you, so now it's your turn!" Tsuna said, trying to comfort the Mist guardian.

During the first month, everyone had hated Mukuro for what happened, but as the second month came everyone was starting to forgive him—and he worked hard to earn their trust again too!—and sympathized with him. During which Chrome had disappeared somewhere saying that she wanted nothing more to do with him and Mukuro realized that he still harbored some feelings for Diana.

As time passed by those feelings intensified and by this time were almost a third of what he had originally felt for her.

Another knock and Sasagawa Kyoko along with Miura Haru came in, also with flowers and some food. They gave their greetings and soon after left with Tsuna for they had something to do.

Mukuro went to sit by Diana's bedside and kissed her forehead. "Please…Please wake up. I love you, so wake up, Diana…Please…"

After a few hours, he went home to change into fresh clothes, hesitantly leaving his lover.

~*~*~*~

"Diana, will you be mine?" Mukuro said, kneeling and pulling out a small red, velvet box. He opened it, and sure enough, there inside was a golden ring with a small diamond on top.

Diana covered her mouth and tears started to flow from her eyes. "Yes!" she said, tackling her lover to the ground and kissing him passionately.

~*~*~*~

As Diana's eyes fluttered open, she thought, 'A-Am I in heaven?' Her vision cleared and she was shocked to find herself in a hospital. Images flashed in her head and she gasped. "That's right! My fall was cushioned by a truck!"

She sobered up and looked out the window. 'How long has it been I wonder? Hmm, I'm sure Mukuro and Chrome-san are probably married by now…'

Her chest tightened when she thought, 'Mukuro must hate me now…'

She sat up and began singing.

Kiss me sweet

I'm sleeping in silence

All alone in ice and snow

In my dream I'm calling your name

You do not come

Mukuro paused just outside the door. Was he hearing what he thought he was?

Abruptly, he slid the door open, startling Diana. Said girl jumped and looked at Mukuro. "Geez, you scared me, Mukuro!"

Tears formed in Mukuro's eyes and he ran towards her, arms spread out. He held her gently and cooed "I love you" s into her ear.

Diana was confused. "M-Mukuro? Aren't you and Chrome-san engaged?" she asked, squirming in his grasp.

His grip on her became firmer—though just enough not to hurt her, he wouldn't want his precious girl to be hurting right after waking up, would he?—and he explained everything until he ran out of breath and took in another just to whisper more sweet nothings and apologies into his lover's ear.

Tears welled in Diana's eyes as well and she hugged him back, looking up to kiss him passionately.

When Diana was fully healed, she and Mukuro renewed their vows and took care of Mukuro Jr. together, and she and Mukuro may have had the occasional fights, but never again was their relationship ever destroyed.

OWARI