Matt remembered everything about him. He remembered exactly what he looked like the day he left. Angry. Determined. Heart broken. His blonde hair cut evenly. His black shirt still a bit too baggy over his thin frame. His rosary was tucked nicely under his shirt. Back pack swung over his back. He remembered everything- even the fact that Mello was on the brink of tears.

He didn't need the photograph that was safely kept in his back pocket to remember. But he kept it anyways. It was the one Roger gave to him.

"Matt, can you come to my office for a moment?" Roger requested. A chorus of "ooooooohs" followed. Matt, fourteen years old, gulped. 'Uh oh,' he thought. 'What did I do?'

"Yes sir," Matt responded, following Roger to his office. Roger sat down behind his desk and started rummaging through the drawers for something, while Matt stood in front of his desk uncomfortably.

"Ah, there it is," Roger said. He straightened up and reached across the desk. He held out a photograph, blank side up.

"This picture was taken a few months ago- one of Jody's photography projects... I thought you would like to have it," Roger said, smiling slightly.

Matt flipped the photo over slowly.

The light was too harsh. The angle was crooked. The figures were sloppy. The photo was perfect.

Matt and Mello were laughing their heads off. Mello had an arm around Matt's shoulders and was leaning into him. Matt, smile wide, had his head on Mello's shoulder. The light was way to bright, but it made the colors perfect. Mello's hair wasn't blonde- it was a brilliant yellow. Matt's hair wasn't it's usual redish brown, it was a wonderous red. His goggle's shone brilliantly in a pig slop of different colors. Both boys were flushed from laughing so hard.

Examining it closer Matt saw that Mello had chocolate in his hand. And his rosary was hanging out of his shirt, where it was usually kept tucked in.

Matt remembered everything about that day. Jody stood behind the camera, jumping around and taking random pictures of everything and everybody. Near was in the back ground some where, calling hilarious jaunts to Mello. It was such a light hearted day. All Mello could do was laugh. Everybody at Wammy's was happy, even Roger was laughing.

Matt could feel the laughter, the great memories, the exact moment of that photograph. It was one of the best days in his memory. And then, the young gamer burst into tears. No, not tears. Sobs. He broke down comletely, into shaky sobs. He didn't even notice when Roger embraced him, holding him in strong fatherly arms.

He hadn't cried when Mello had left three days prior. He was sobbing then.

A single tear trailed it's way down Matt's face. Four years. It had been four years since Mello ran away from Wammy's. The year before Near had left as well. So now, Matt was alone in the room he'd once shared with two others, about to leave himself.

In a short period of time, some new kids would be living in that room. Matt wondered what those kids would be like.

He wiped his eyes on his sleeve and put the photo back. He was eighteen now. He'd graduated Wammy's, top of his class with both Mello and Near gone. He had a dozen scholarships open to him. The world was at his fingertips.

But Matt was packing his bags and heading to America. He didn't plan on attending a university. He wasn't joining the fbi or cia or whatever other government agencies were interested. He was leaving all of that behind.

Mail Jeevas was not a dummy, despite how this may sound. He'd made a promise so many years ago. Up in a rickety old tree house that no longer existed, with a boy he hadn't seen in years.

"We're going to be best friends forever, Matt," Mello said.

"You think?" Matt said.

"Of course, dummy! We're going to get out of this shit hole, and we'll move to America! We'll be the best of everything, Matt. Life will be so great," Mello dreamed, leaning back. "Promise?"

"I promise."

And then there was the last thing Matt had ever said to his best friend.

"Stay safe, bro. I'll see you around,"

And Matt planned on it. Only one problem- he had no idea where to start.

!

Matt sat on his ratty couch in his small apartment, light's down and game on. His phone rang, and he answered it.

"Playboy pent house- blondes, boobs, and big beds. What kind of STD do you wish to aquire?" Matt answered. He made a point of answering in funny ways posing as random businesses. Mello, Near, and L were always so serious about security. Matt liked to have fun.

"Well, atleast this means you're straight," a girl's voice responded on the other end. Matt started laughing.

"Nothing has been proven, Jodey. How is the fashion queen doing?" Matt asked.

"The fashion queen is doing marvelous! It's lonely here though, I don't have anyone to watch What Not To Wear with," Jodey said.

"I swear, Clinton was making me gay," Matt said.

"You're gay all on your own, Matt. You're a gay, soulless ginger with a big nose," Jodey joked on the other side.

Matt gave a gasp of fake insult. "I do NOT have a big nose,"

"Of course you don't," Jodey said. "Any news on goldilocks yet?"

"Nothing so far. I can't find anything on him!"

"Mail Jeevas, turn the game off and get your ass of that couch before I travel all the way over there and whoop you!"

"It's two in the morning!" Matt protested. "I haven't been doing nothing. I'm actually working,"

"Double negatives young man,"

"You sound like Roger, young lady." Matt's phone gave a beep and he looked at it. A blocked number was calling him. "Hey Jodey, I'll call you back later."

"Your male prostitute finally show up?"

"You know it," The two hung up and Matt answered the new caller.

"Thank you for calling Foot Long Dick Socks. How may I be of service today?" Matt answered.

"Matt. I need your help, please! Come pick me up, and I'll explain everything," a panicked voice on the other end demanded.

"W-who is this?" Matt asked, a bit scared. He'd straightened up, and even paused his game.

"Can't say my name on the phone... too dangerous. Remember the tree house? You promised bitch, now get over here!" the voice shouted into the phone. Matt heard voices in the back ground, and heard the person on the phone give a hiss- like from pain.

"Come get me, I'll explain everything," the voice said in a panicked whisper. The phone line clicked off. Matt sat there, staring at the paused game screen of the tv and listening to the dial tone.

"I'm coming... Mello," Matt whispered back. He then used his hacker skills to trace the call.