Well, I probably got have the details wrong, but I TRIED to work out Nears's age. I did, I really did. And in future chapters, I know some information is probably ... WRONG x_x" but bare with me, It's not THAT bad... anyway... enjoy ^^

disclaimer: I don't own death note, and I'm sure the real writers would love to beat me silly if they ever happen to read what I did to Near. but if I did, Mello and Matt would be gay lovers. but that's just me...

Chapter One.

Alone. The young sheep like boy sat alone in the corner. His eyes were
glazed over as the terrible scene in front of him played out. Alicia
River was glaring daggers at her five year old son thinking he was a freak to
nature. A tall man's brow furrowed at the results of a test Nate had
taken, and sighed as he placed down the stack of papers. He muttered
some inaudible words to the unhappy Edmund River, as the white child
started to cry silent tears. He knew what was going to happen later.
"Did you cheat boy?" Edmund shouted at his son. "No daddy, I didn't.
The test was simply easy." the frost-coloured Nate replied innocently. With that,
the father suspected his son of lying and reached down and picked him
up and swiftly left the office with his glaring wife.

If looks could kill. But looks couldn't kill, and Nate knew that well,
but pain, pain could kill. However, death is not as bad as some pain.
In his family's living room, five year old Nate looked up to his
parents through a freshly bruised eye. "That's a way to get your eyes
gouged out," Edmund stated coldly, "Never look at anyone in the eye.
And never call me 'daddy' in public. I'm ashamed that I fathered you."
He lashed out at him again, striking the sheep's cheekbone. Pain
seared through Nate's pale face. His eyes searched desperately towards
his mother, to save him, but she just sat back with an amused
expression on her face.

This happened often, as long as Nate could remember. He had scars and
bruises covering his body, in places concealed by the expensive suits
he was clothed in "We have to look our best for our business, since
you are our son, you also have to look well dressed, it is a
reflection upon us." His mother had said to him once. Of course, she
didn't dress him, the butler did. She never even touched him. He
didn't know it wasn't right to not be hugged, he had never been
introduce to kindness. His father was a high-up and well known
government official in London, constantly surrounded by stacks of cash
and deranged men in suits. His mother was loyal to him and posed as a
kind and loving person to all, from the outside, they were the perfect
family.

But underneath the loving façade laid a dark secret. His father was a
big boss in an underground human trafficking system. His mother would
attract youthful men into their home, then husky men in dark coats would
put a white cloth over their faces and then they were dragged off
never to be seen again. Nate had witnessed this several times, and his
father threatened that if he were bad he would sell him as well. But
the lamb didn't want the bad people to get him.

Affection was taboo in the River house. And so were childish actions.
When Nate was taken out shopping with the butler, as means of
occupying him while his parents met with the queen, he had discovered
an interesting toy. A set of old-fashioned building blocks. When he
returned home to find his parents still weren't there, he opened up
the box in the living room, and the butler disposed of all the trash
as young, six year old Nate began to play. His parents entered the
living room and were quarrying about which the queen had been more
fond of, and came across their son with toys. Alicia scoffed and
Edmund's face grew a brilliant red. "What are you doing boy?" he
shouted. Near started to tear-up and looked up at his father, "Playing
with toys da- Sir." He replied shakily. Edmund frowned deeper, if
possible, and held out his fist, Nate winced. "What if I had come home
with a business partner to have the find you on the floor with a..
toy?" He stated with distaste and glared at his son, Nate dodged his
eyes and looked toward the ornate carpet. "Look at me when I talk to
you! I can't have people thinking of our family as unsophisticated.
You are not slowed to have toys in this house hold. Toys are for
children, and you cannot afford to come off as childish!" And with
that the lamb snapped, breaking out into sharp sobs and tears rolled
down his face.

Edmund only got angrier. He forcefully hit the delicate child in the
nose. Grabbing him by his shirt collar, he threw him into the
expensive painting on the hearth and kicked him on his side. Fist flew
down on the defenseless boy and the tears stopped flowing, now there
was only emptiness. Nate knew not to struggle anymore because that
only made it worse. His father screamed and kicked at the little boy
and told him he was worthless and childish and ungrateful. He kicked
him in the groin and Nate's pants dampened. Disgusted, the man slapped
him in the face and motioned for the butler to clean his shoes up. The
maids took care of Nate and carried him to bed.

But he couldn't sleep. Every inch of him ached and hurt. But there was
an emptiness inside he couldn't deny. He gently stepped out of bed
and into his large bathroom. Taking a razor blade he had stored into
one of his cabinets, he crawled against into the corner and pressed it
against his skin. He didn't know what he was thinking but he felt so
empty inside. With a fluid motion, he sliced into the soft skin of the
wrist. His eyes widened from the pain but there was also something
else, a sparkle of release, of happiness. And then he knew what he had
to do. He had to keep to himself and show no emotion, then he could
release all the pressure of the day with his razor blade. He sliced
into his wrist again and smiled inwardly.

*********************************
Two Year Time-skip

The eight year old looked up into the teenager's coal eyes. He had
just bumped into him while walking down the isle of the grocery store
with his butler. The raven's eyes opened wide as he took in the bruise
on Nate's expressionless face and dropped several bags of candies and
other sweets. Nate's butler bent down and gathered the sugary food and
handed it back to the stranger who smiled politely and nodded. "Excuse
me." Nate had stated, with no traces of emotion and walked to the next
isle.

'What a strange person..' Nate stated to himself. He had dealt with
many eccentric people before, though they weren't as wealthy as him,
but this boy was just weird. He sighed and put the thought away.
Walking to the exit, he started thinking about the heart attacks of
criminals that had been happening recently. There was an odd pattern
to it and he suspected it was planned by someone. But that was
ridiculous. Nate waited as the butler open the limo door and stepped
inside. The butler slid into the passengers seat alongside the
chauffeur and they rode home.

The house was awfully quiet when Nate stepped inside. Walking through
the grand hall into the parlor room, he discovered two hulking lumps
of cloth on the floor. He upped his pace and turned the fabric masses
onto their sides. They were bodies. Bodies of his parents. His
emotionless masked almost slipped as he called out to Sebastian, his
butler. Controlling himself, Nate walked into his bathroom. They had
left him alone. Nate sunk into the corner and took his razor in hand
and gashed at his wrist and legs. It was blood instead of tears. The
cuts allowed the sadness to escape so he didn't cry. There was a knock
on his bedroom door an he heard Sebastian's voice, "I've informed the
police if their deaths. There is now a visitor for you, Young Master."
He had never been called that before. He was never the master of the
house before. He rolled down his pants and grabbed his jacket,
covering the aging scars, both self-inflicted and ones of abuse.

Nate walked expressionless down the stairs. He had gained control of
his mask again. Standing in his parlor was the young adult from the
store and an old man along side him. 'His butler..?' Nate mused to
himself. Nate nodded and greeted them blankly. "Welcome to my home.
What is your business, good men?" The raven spoke up first, removing
his fingers from his mouth, "You are now an orphan Nate River. As a
minor, you can't live on your own, but we are well aware of your
extreme intelligence and have come here to ask you if you would like
to stay with a group of other smart boys and girls at an orphanage for
the gifted called Wammy's." He more so stated it than questioned, but
none the less Nate stated, "I see. How do you know of my parent's
death already?" Again the slouching, black haired young man spoke, "I
have been working on a investigation on a mystery criminal called
Kira." 'The murderer who can kill with heart attacks..' Nate thought
to himself. Another thought crossed his mind but he denied it. "And
that still doesn't answer my question Mr..." Nate hinted a request of
his name; the figure in a stretched out white shirt and baggie jeans
didn't pick up on it. "Your parents seemed to have died of
heart attacks. They were also active members of the underground human
trafficking programe, if I am correct, so Kira killed them." The
lamb's eyes grew wide as he stares at this incredible stranger.

"Due to the fact your deductive reasoning skills are far beyond
average, Nate, and your logical way of thinking makes me believe you
could be my successor, if I were to die." The raven shuffled
uncomfortable and rubbed his foot with the other. He was balancing on
one leg. Amusing. Nate looked up at him and twirled his hair out of
stress.

"I understand, but before I come live at this Wammy's I am wondering,
what is your name?"