Eventually he did recover. It took four months but he was back on his feet. He and Matt were as close as ever, perhaps even a little closer. Mello could feel something different, but he couldn't pin it. Matt would touch him- a friendly touch on the shoulder- and he would feel it in his whole body.
He pushed away his thoughts, and figured that now, was not the time to have a childish crush on his best friend.
He and Near had come up with some plans, but none were put into action. They were waiting to see if one of the Task Force would step up and say who L thought was Kira. Mello had suggested illegally apprehending both Light Yagami and Misa Amane, and wait for the killings to cease, at which point they would be shot. Near thought his plan to violent, and not thought through, he argued that Kira could stop the killings, just to frame them. Mello had suggested cameras on Kiyomi Takada, Kira's spokesman, but Near had said that Mello was being irrational.
"You can't just wait for people to tell you who Kira is! If we stalk Takada-" He trailed off, "Look I'm sure she contacts Kira somehow."
"Mello we're too far away, there were already cameras on Misa Amane, but we don't have anything set up for Takada."
"Then let's fly over there and make it happen."
"Mello I can't just uproot everything and move overseas-"
"You're not trying hard enough!" Mello slammed his fists on the table. "You held me here because you knew I would to what EVER it takes to solve this case, and now you're chaining me up."
"I'm just saying you haven't thought things through." Near defended.
"I've thought things through, but you won't let me do what needs to be done. I'm going to Japan, you can come with me if you want."
He stood up and walked past Near, heading to the room he was assigned. He packed all his things and went to the computer room.
"Hey Mells." Matt chirped from behind a screen.
"Matt, I'm going."
Matt swivelled around in his chair. "Going where?" He looked concered. "You're not leaving the SPK are you?"
"Yeah Matt, I am." Mello clarified. "Near won't let me solve the case, we both know who Kira is, I just, need to think about it."
"Think about it here, where it's safe. Where you won't get blown up!"
"Do you remember what Near said to me when I first got here?" Mello shot. "He said 'I've pretty much figured out who Kira is, and it's mostly thanks to everything you've done'. If going out and getting hurt is what it takes to solve this case, then it's what I'll do."
"Mello I'm sure you two will solve it…just give it time." Matt pleaded.
"It's been months Matt. All we really need to do is find evidence, capture Kira. To Near the case is solved-"
"-But the game's not over." Chimed in the albino. "I was hoping to find you here."
"What do you want?" Mello growled.
"You're right. It is necessary for our success to re-locate in Japan. I just don't see how all of us could get over there without it looking a little suspicious." Near started. "You want all of us to go, but you forget that Kira knows who is a member, more or less anyways. Moving all of us he would know we were heading there for him, which is why I can't go. But Kira doesn't know you're here, Mello." He twirled his finger through his hair and smiled. "I propose that you go, as planned, except with Matt, and you will both contact me about your progress and we will continue discussing"
"What makes you think that I'll keep calling you?" Mello scoffed.
"Because you're enjoying this." Near smiled back.
Mello glared at him.
"So…are we going?" Matt tunes back in.
"Yeah. I guess." Mello sighed. "Matt, get your shit."
Near had arranged for them to stay in a small apartment in the Kanto region. It should have fit both of them comfortably, but with computer moniters taking up most of the space, there was barely room for one. There was one window that looked out over the city, it stayed open, so that Matt's cigarettes wouldn't stink up the room. The bedroom was the only room (aside from the bathroom) that was untouched by the monitors. Mello stayed awake most nights, leaving Matt to retire alone in the master bed. They had set up cameras on Takada, as he wished, and saw her and Light Yagami meet several times in her apartment. They appeared to be in a romantic affair
They appeared to be having a romantic affair, but Mello could read Light like a book.
"He's using her, just as he's using Misa. Both these women mean nothing to him, but he keeps them around, because they're useful to him." Mello explained one night on the phone. "Takada he's using as a public face, Misa, I think…going back to the first letter, Misa has the eyes."
"Okay, what makes you so certain? Why would Misa have them and not Light?" Near asked through the phone.
"The one thing Sidoh was good for…" Mello trailed off. "He constantly asked Neylon to trade for the eyes. Half of your remaining life span, in exchange for the ability to see a person's true name and death date. Kira wants to re-create god, if he's to do that, he can't give away half his life. It's just as easy to use Misa."
"I see. From what you're telling me, my guess is that it's no longer Kira who is actually killing any victims, but most likely the second Kira, being used as a puppet, her strings being pulled by Light." Near explained.
"Likely. What are we going to do to capture Light Yagami?" Mello asked.
"We aren't completely sure it's him."
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Mello shouted into the phone. "I dropped out of the race when L died because I thought you had already won! You're always so sure, just like he is, any uncertainty you throw out is just to look like you don't know yet. You know that Kira is Light Yagami, that he's using Misa Ammane, and that he will continue to kill until he is stopped. Why don't you finish the puzzle?" Mello asked.
"I've completed the puzzle Mello, I know the last piece. I just need to make sure that I place down correctly." Near told him. "Hold on, I'm getting another call. We'll discuss in the morning."
"Yes, fine. Goodbye." Mello hung up and slammed his forehead on the table. He let out a long drawn out groan.
"That musta hurt." Matt called from behind several monitors. "You okay?"
"Fine. I'm going to go get us some dinner, keep an eye on Takada while I'm gone."
"Mello no." Matt stood up. "You can't risk Light seeing you here, he thinks you're dead."
"I'll be fine, I could probably even trail him for miles before he even knows I'm there." Mello sighed.
Matt placed a hand on his chest to stop him from leaving. "If you're hungry I'll go get us dinner, you stay here and watch the monitors. He doesn't know who I am." Matt explained.
Defeated, Mello shrugged and walked over to the sofa. "Okay, bring back chocolate, we're almost out."
Matt nodded and left the apartment.
He came back in, an hour later, with a mixed box of sushi, five chocolate bars, and a package of cigarettes.
"Mell, I'm home!" He called out. When there was no response, he couldn't help but worry a little, so he ran to the monitors and found Mello asleep in the chair. Matt was worried about him, he was working himself to death over this case. He picked him up and carried him to the bed, tossed a blanket over his body and kissed him on the forehead. "Get some sleep Mells."
Author's Note: I'm sorry that this one is a little late, my internet's been down so just getting it up now. Hope you like it. Reviews always welcome