AN: Hello all, I hope you guys enjoy the next chap! I've been on a roll this week. Thanks to fangirl123 for getting me motivated!! ^_^

L sat at a table in the library at the Wammy House once they returned from the hospital. There were piles of medical books on the floor that he had already read through and a stack sitting on the table that he was currently working on, as his fingers flipped quickly through the pages he let out a sigh. He felt he was getting nowhere.

He researched the tests and was now researching the possible surgeries based upon different results. Most of these surgeries had only a 30% - 50% survival rate. It was even lower if the patient needed to receive a heart from a donor due to the potential for the patient's body to reject the foreign heart as well as the possibility for infection.

"What am I supposed to do?" L muttered to himself staring at the ceiling with his thumb grazing across his lower lip as he thought. He decided to do what he usually did when he couldn't figure out something in his personal life, delve into work. He closed the book in front of him and stood from the table walking out of the library and heading toward the room where they kept all files on open cases.

He sat down opening the first file in front of him and began to read through it. This case was nothing particularly special, drug trafficking in Brazil. He got on his laptop sending a message to the lead investigator in Sao Paulo of who the ring leader was then tossed the file to the floor and picked up the next. There were no windows in the room but he could hear the loud crack of thunder now and then. He kept working like this for hours, picking a random file and within minutes sending a message or making a call to investigators or bureaus at the locations.

He stood up looking at the scattered files on the floor and stretched his arms out above himself. Even being in a more secluded area of the house he could hear the rain pounding outside and something that seemed like church bells. It seemed as though it would never stop.

He walked out of the room and went up to the attic where there was a ladder and hatch to the roof. As soon as he opened the hatch rain poured toward his face. He pressed on pulling himself up onto the roof and sitting down looking off into the distance. Within moments he was completely soaked. But the bells wouldn't stop. How was he supposed to concentrate…? And what was it? A service, a wedding, at this hour? Why were they always so loud, humming in his ears as though he were sitting right next to it…

***

Matt lay awake in his bed staring at the ceiling. Mello hadn't said a word to him the entire way home from the hospital. Why would that bother him so much though? Mello had always been moody, so what made this time important? There was nothing he could do about it now at any rate. He rolled off his bed realizing that he had still left his DS on the table by the front door when they left that morning.

He walked into the hall and paused at Mello's door. He'd probably just be angry if I tried to talk to him, Matt thought to himself and kept walking toward the stairs. The house was eerily quiet, usually there was a little noise coming from the common room that had the television and games. But there was no one there.

He got to the bottom of the stairs and spotted his DS still sitting on the table. He grabbed it and glanced out the window. "A big storm is coming…" Matt mumbled to himself as he turned the power on to his DS and that comforting glow came to light. He sighed and headed back to his room.

He laid back down in his bed trying to concentrate on his game but yet there was this ghost feeling of Mello's fingers running through his hair. He could feel warmth spreading throughout his body remembering the quiet whisper as he woke "it's just me…" the tingle he felt as that voice met his ears.

"I'm working myself up for nothing! Man this sucks!" Matt said to himself tossing his DS on the bed and getting up looking out the window. Lightening began to light up the sky. Through the tint of his goggles the coloring reminded him of Mello's hair. He never realized how much he thought about Mello. That smug jerk… Matt laughed to himself at how "cool" Mello always tried to be, a legend in his own mind.

Matt leaned his head against the cold glass of his window wondering if he should act like nothing had ever happened that day. To pretend that Sakura wasn't stabbed, that Mello hadn't gently taken his hand at the scene, that Mello's hand running through his hair had just been some sort of strange dream.

Maybe that was what he needed to do. He had always been good at being indifferent. It was easier… Because if something did go wrong he didn't need to care, if nothing happened then there was no fear of rejection, no worrying about what to do or say. But he knew all too well he was past the point of being able to not care. He and Mello were always around each other. Whether it was in classes or when Mello stalked into his room to take something or complain about someone. Despite, or perhaps because of the bold way Mello always acted, Matt was entranced by him. Like a moth to a flame.

He had to talk to him. He needed to know the truth… There had to be something there. He was certain of it. He stood up straight removing his goggles and setting them down on the end table next to his bed. He looked in the mirror besides his door running his hands through his hair and pulled at his shirt a bit straightening the wrinkles then shrugged to himself when it didn't seem to make much difference what he tried to do.

He walked down the hall and stopped at Mello's door. He stood for a moment just staring at the door with a giant "Trespassers will be shot, Survivors will be shot again" sign. He knocked on the door waiting for some sort of snide remark about whoever is at his door better have chocolate. But nothing ever came. Not even a "leave me the hell alone". Not a sound.

"Mel, it's me.. Come on, open the door," Matt said looking down at the door threshold noticing there was no light on in the room. Mello wouldn't be asleep yet though. His hand paused at the door handle. As often as they we together he had never actually been in Mello's room. Mello had always invaded Matt's room whenever the mood struck.

"I'm coming in Mello," Matt said trying his best to make his voice sound confident. He opened the door and waited a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dark and continued into the room. Looking around he noticed the room was very sparse. No posters, no pictures, nothing that would be construed as personal. He found the light switch and flipped on the lights.

There was no Mello in site. His bed was perfectly made and the entire room was immaculate as if no one really lived there. So this was why Mello always complained about the mess in Matt's room. Matt noticed a leather book on the bedside table. He looked around again almost paranoid that Mello was just around the corner waiting for him to mess something up. He picked up the book and opened it to a random page.

I wish I could scream at the top of my lungs. Let my heart have its desires… Am I wrong? Is it wrong? Does caring for someone else make me weak? Will it get in the way of my goals? What the hell am I supposed to do with these feelings? I want to know all the answers, without having to ask anyone. Aren't you supposed to just naturally know what to do when you fall in love?

Matt quickly put the book down, it was Mello's journal. Matt's heart felt like it was in his throat as soon as his eyes crossed over the word "love". This entry was from months ago. Who was Mello in love with? Matt was tempted to pick the journal up again to find out more but he couldn't bring himself to knowingly invade Mello's privacy that much.

He took a deep breath and sat down on Mello's bed. He was now actually a little glad Mello wasn't there. How stupid would he have looked trying to give his heart to someone who was clearly already in love with someone else? He sighed putting his head in his hands as he wondered who it would be. If it was someone he would see every day, if Mello would eventually reveal the truth to that person and then not give Matt a second thought.

Matt moved his hands down to the bed pushing himself to stand. "Well, that's it I guess…" Matt said to himself turning to take a last look at a room he never saw before and thought he would never see again. He turned back toward the door ready to leave.

***

Sakura scooted up into a sitting position in her bed as Mello sat down. "So, I'm guessing something's on your mind Mel? I wouldn't imagine you'd make the trip up here just to wear my clothes," Sakura's tone slightly teasing.

"Yeah… I want to talk to you, about Matt…" Mello started. He still hadn't been able to look at her. He was fairly certain she wouldn't think he was a freak or anything but he had to tell someone and for some reason he certainly couldn't tell Matt himself yet.

"What's wrong, is everything okay with you guys?" she asked her tone was more caring now knowing that Mello had something of a serious nature on his mind. She had a feeling they might become more than friends one day, but they were getting to an age of curiosity.

"It might be wrong, I don't know. I mean, it's weird… Really weird… Because he's a total clutz and he's totally disorganized and sloppy too his room is a mess… All he does is play those stupid video games all day and he wears those weird goggles… What's there to like in a guy like that?" Mello's eyes quickly scanned her face before returning his gaze elsewhere.

"There's nothing wrong with that. He's a nice guy. I mean c'mon, who else would make a complete fool of themselves to make you stop crying?" she said with a smile referring to the "Panda Dance". Mello just rolled his eyes. "And who would so selflessly listen to your every word whenever you just barge into his room?" she told him and he shrugged. "This doesn't make you a bad person Mello. It's good to have someone in your life that you can care deeply about. There's a great part of life to experience in love," Sakura told him.

"Lo..love? I didn't say love!" Mello objected as his face started to redden. "You don't need to… I can see it in your eyes when you say his name… " she told him. Mello started huffing a bit trying to find a way to deny what she was saying. "It doesn't make you weak…" she said. He finally looked in her eyes, wondering if she was right, wondering if she was telling the truth. "Have you talked to him yet?" she asked a smile playing at the edges of her mouth.

"NO! Of course not! What the heck am I supposed to say? 'Hey I don't know why but I have the hots for you'??" Mello said irately. Sakura started laughing, she couldn't help herself. "Well, that's one way to do it I suppose…" she said. "What did L say to you?" Mello asked becoming calmer again. "That's sort of a long story…" she replied a smile on her face as she played with the ring on her finger. "And you're going somewhere in a hurry?" Mello asked with a laugh. She rolled her eyes and began recounting how L had the picnic set up on the beach and how they talked about how they felt when they met and they professed their love to each other.

"Wow, he's a real hopeless romantic huh?" Mello said laughing a little. "He is not hopeless! I thought it was sweet," Sakura said laughing as well. "I never would have thought of L like that… He's lucky that you're the only one I really talk to. That would get a good laugh around the house," Mello said teasingly. "You'd have a quick funeral too I bet," Sakura replied with a smirk. Mello just shrugged.

"So really, what are you going to do? You should probably tell him the truth. I mean you know he cares about you," she told him. "I guess… I just don't know if it's like that… I mean I don't want to lose my best friend and make an ass of myself," Mello said. Sakura shook her head, "trust me, I don't think it would go like that."

"How can you be so sure?" Mello asked. "Just trust me! Go home and talk to him!" Sakura said shoving him off the edge of the bed. "You're kicking me out?" he asked. "I think that's about the extent of it," she replied. "You want me to walk home in this torrential down pour?" he asked. "You are such a baby! Alright, get me that blue bag," she said pointing to a bag on the floor next to the window seat. He did and gave it to her.

"Here, take this and go home. Talk to him and call me," she said handing him money for cab fare. He smiled and nodded. "Hey, thanks Sakura… For everything…" Mello said. "Don't worry about it, I'm here for you, any time you need to talk, okay?" she replied as she grabbed him pulling him into a hug. After a few moments he squirmed out of her grasp. "I'll talk to you later!" he said as he began walking toward the door.

She watched him walk out giggling to herself a little Mello had been so caught up in his thoughts that he must've forgotten he was still wearing her clothes.

***

The rain was beginning to stop, the night sky began to clear and stars like pin holes in the curtain of night appeared. L looked around a bit more before deciding to go inside. He opened the hatch door and slowly went down the ladder.

"The bells again?" Watari's voice came through the dark. L's foot missed the last rung of the ladder and his foot hit hard on the floor but he managed to maintain his balance. L simply nodded in reply to Watari. "I've brought you a towel and fresh clothes. I thought you might be out star watching this evening," Watari said as he handed L the towel.

"I needed to clear my head…" L told him as he dried his hair with the towel. "I've heard you've been quite busy this evening," Watari said. "Yes… Well, there are still crimes to solve after all… Criminals don't stop doing what they are doing just because someone I know is in the hospital," L replied. Watari simply nodded. L changed into the dry clothes that Watari brought him and draped the towel around his neck. "I suppose I should get back to work," L said. Watari just looked on not saying anything as L walked past him. "Thank you, Watari… For everything," L said as he left the attic room.

L wanted to say more than that, but he couldn't. He felt he had to maintain himself, because it was true that there was still a great deal of work to do yet. Crime never went on holiday. So again he went back to the same room, more case files had been set on the desk along with a plate of cake and a cup of coffee. He smiled, Watari truly did always take very good care of him.

He worked feverishly into the hours of the morning. Watari came in a few times to check and see if he needed anything, bringing him fresh coffee and more sugar cubes each time. As morning came L fell asleep, though in this room it was difficult to tell the time given that there were no clocks or windows. He felt it best to work without these things unless time was of the essence. It seemed that not knowing the time helped it to pass.

Watari quietly entered the room and saw that L was asleep in his chair. He took a blanket from a cabinet in the room and gently draped it over L taking another last glance at the young man who was the closest thing he had to a son. "Good night my child," Watari whispered as he left the room.