I was snatched from my memories of my family's death by my phone vibrating in my pocket. It was text from Stasia and when I read what it said I start running back toward the house. L and BB were already in Stasia's room when I got there and I went over to the stressed looking blonde girl as she paced in a circle near her bed. L was examining an unconscious Mello and I could tell Stasia was on edge. I'd known her long enough to tell she was worried without seeing that her eyes were red-rimmed.

"What happened?" I asked as she wrung her hands on the hem of her shirt.

"We were talking and I told him about my illness and his eyes rolled back in his head and he went out like a light…" she said distractedly before going over to L and grabbing his arm.

L looked away from Mello and up at her with a questioning look in his eyes.

"Is he okay?" she asked and he nodded. I felt a rush of relief go through me and could visibly see Stasia's anxiety leave her as her shoulders slumped in relief.

"Mello is fine, just unconscious. I believe that the revelation of your illness shocked him quite a bit; that, along with the stress of the last couple days. I'm not surprised his body decided to take a break. For now, Matt-kun," the raven called over to me. "Please take Mello to his bed."

I nodded and went over to the bed to pick Mello up bridal style. He was lighter than I expected but, like Stasia, I could tell he would punch me if I ever said it out loud to him.

Carrying the blonde to his room I used the toe of my boot to nudge open the door and placed him on the bed. Then I did what I would do for Stasia when she would have one of her spells. I sat down beside Mello and put his head on my lap and stroked his hair.

My fingers slipped through blonde strands of hair as Stasia's head rested on my lap. She was having one of her rough days and so I had forsaken my games in order to comfort her like I was used to. Her breathing was even but she was running a fever. I knew from experience that she really just needed a good rest and that she'd be back to her regular self by tomorrow but I always worried when she didn't emerge from her room to play with me on the jungle-gym.

Pausing my fingers as she moved in her sleep I thought back to when Stasia had told me about her illness. Back then I had been too young to comprehend the seriousness of what Stasia had told me. Unlike her I didn't understand why the doctors couldn't do anything. I didn't understand how she could be so calm.

My eight year old heart was broken. I had lost my whole family and in the two years that I'd known Stasia I'd come to view her as an older sister. I didn't want to lose her. I didn't want to lose anyone else I loved.

I didn't realize I was crying until a tear fell from my chin down to Stasia's cheek. The droplet of salty water seemed to stir her from her nap because her eyelids opened to reveal tired blue eyes.

"Matt…"

"…you're crying," Mello said softly and I looked down at him with bewilderment.

"What… why?"

"That's what I wanna know," Mello replied. "And why am I in your lap?"

Wiping my eyes quickly I shrugged. "It's what I do for Stasia when she's not feeling well. I thought it'd comfort you a little." I started to get up but he laid his hand on my hip before wrapping an arm around my waist and placing his head back on my lap.

"Please stay… I like it," he said and I started to stroke his hair again.

"Why were you crying?" he asked after a moment of silence.

I opened my mouth to answer and the shut it again, realizing that I didn't have an answer. Why had I been crying? Was it the feeling from my memories surfacing? Was it remembering the gravity of Stasia's illness? Or was it something else entirely? There were too many different answers and so I gave him the only one that I was certain of.

"I don't know."

We stayed like this—in companionable silence with Mello's head in my lap—until we drifted off to sleep. We didn't sleep long but I felt better than I had in a while. It was the feeling I got as a kid where I would wake up after exhausting myself. I was sluggish at first but I knew that as soon as I got out of bed I'd be as energetic as ever.

Mello was on the other side of the bed and I was still sitting propped up against the headboard. Reddish-orange rays if light were filling the room, dying Mello's hair a darker gold. I recalled Stasia telling me that my hair appeared to have bronze highlights when the sunset and smiled.

Shaking myself from my reminiscent thought I got up from the bed and placed a sheet over Mello before leaving the room.