Disclaimer: I do not and never will own Death Note. However, the ideas are mine.

OK, this story has been in my head for a couple of days now, and I've finally decided to get it down before it disappears forever. I first got the idea when I was reading up on how hot/cold humans can take before dying, and saw that there are people who survived a bullet to the brain. So this came up: What if Matt survived somehow?

Matt's tires squealed as he made a sharp turn at top speed. Not his best choice, but he didn't have another one. He needed to get away ASAP, or risk death. His car spun out of control on the street as a result of the momentum, but he quickly got the car back in control, without even flinching. He turned, only to see more bodyguards. Mello's gonna owe me big time, he thought. He saw that he was cornered by the bodyguards' black cars.

"How many bodyguards does one woman need, anyway?" he shouted, exiting the now immobile vehical. He raised his hands in surrender. "And since when were the Japanese allowed to have such big guns? Ah, you won't shoot me-" His goading/surrender was interrupted by gunshots, most not hitting him, but several making their mark. His hands fell, and he collapsed.

The last thing that he heard was a bodyguard yelling, "We wouldn't have let him live anyway. Crimes against Kira can only be punished by death."

Beep...beep...beep...

The soft bleeps of the heart monitor barely registered in Matt's head. That...was a whack dream...I really need to lay off the Call of Duty...Damn alarm clock! Why is it making that goddamn noise?! He twitched his hand in an attempt to stop the noise, only to be met with overwhelming weakness. He registered the scent of his surroundings, as well as an unwelcome difficulty to breathe. Man...what the hell is that smell?! Is that...antiseptic?! Holy...that wasn't a dream? What the...damn. Mello's gonna owe me big time. He opened his eyes, only to be met with a need to squint due to the blinding light of the hospital room.

"Who are you?! What were you doing?! I saw your eyes open! And your hand twitch! Come on! Answer my questions!" shouted the voice of a very young woman, barely 20, whom Matt presumed was a nurse or an intern as no one that young could be a doctor. Matt inhaled sharply and raggedly, his chest ripping in agony at the slightest movement.

"Aghh..." he gasped weakly. His body tensed and started convulsing slightly in pain. "Hhhhkaaaaaaaaaaaahggh! Anti...hak! Kira...hahh...hahh...I...hhhhhaaaaahhhhkkkhh!" His voice was soft and ragged, like his breathing. The nurse/his interrogator noted his obvious inability to speak in coherent sentences and stopped asking her questions so harshly.

"Now now...calm down! If you can't speak, that's fine, but you'll have to answer my questions eventually. What the hell did you think you're doing, pulling a stunt like that?! Your friend and/or accomplice was nearly burned to death in that fire that killed Takada, and you got shot 15 times in various places, including your head! You can't pull such blatant anti-Kira stunts anymore!" the nurse whisper-shouted, grasping his hand. Matt's breathing slowed, and his muscles relaxed. Now Matt had a million questions that he wanted to ask, but couldn't. Friend and/or accomplice? Oh my God...Kira killed Takada? Mello? Oh my God! He...almost died?! But...I thought that the conditions stated in the notebook wouldn't take effect if others whose names weren't written would be involved...unless...to the notebook, 'involved' is synonymous with 'death!' It's possible to survive a fire, right? If you get out quickly enough, you'll live! God...my head...it's on fire...

"Before I forget: What's your name? You only have to say your first name so that we know what to call you." ordered a deeper, slightly older voice, most likely a doctor. "As soon as you are able, of course. Don't strain yourself. You were hurt pretty badly back there. Sections of your lungs were reduced to mincemeat, and your brain...let's just say that it was a miracle that you were able to wake up at all, let alone have enough presence of mind to respond, even in the way that you did."

"...M-Matt...call me...hahh...Matt..." Matt replied, several seconds later. Good...they won't hurt me...Mello's OK...

It was on that note that Matt lost consciousness.

A/N: Hey guys. I know that it's been a dog's age since I last updated my current story [Limit], but I have to write this down and publish it. Why? Cuz I wanted to, mainly. Also, I've been so flooded by work by the newly reinstated school year that I couldn't write anything down :'-(. I should have written something during the strike, but I was...out of ideas...like usual...maybe I'll ask my sister for creative help. But she'll call me a bastard...when I update Limit, you'll understand why. :-)