A/N: Good evening my lovelies. As you may notice as you begin to read, the beginning of this chapter totally sucked! I struggled with it at first, but towards the middle I got a fun idea! Yay random inspiration!


Chapter 11: Justify My Reasons

Far away in the underground lair of the True many of Light Yagami's followers were uneasy. In fact, they were uneasy for Light. He wasn't in his right mind, is what some of the younger and rasher blood drinkers speculated. Light, whether mad or not, was certainly acting out of character. He was fidgety, for one thing, and taking victims more indiscriminately. Sure, he was still hunting the Evil Doer, but this time it was any slobbering drunk who walked out of a tavern with a knife in his hands and an angry glint in his eyes. Light was also impulsively dispatching some of his followers of higher status to eliminate those of lower. For instance, Light had Mikami kill an entire group of fledgling vampires who were led by the greedy Hitoshi Demegawa. They were not needed for the eminent event to come, and thus they did not need immortality.

Light's hands were bathed in so much blood of his own kind. This worried Misa Amane, but Light got angry with her every time she offered extra help. He tormented her by not letting her into the private meetings that Light had with her, Kiyomi Takada, and Mikami. The more Light kept Misa in the dark, the more frantic Misa became. This did not please Light, he was soon considering getting rid of her completely. She had failed him, after all.


"You seem uneasy, Mello." I said as I stepped through the sliding glass door and on to the balcony of our flat.

Mello was standing with is back to me, leaning up against the iron railing. The wind was blowing lightly, lifting up locks of Mello's fair hair and toying with them. "I feel… like they're preparing for something, the True."

I walked over to stand beside him, also leaning with my arms crossed on the railing. "Why do you think so, Mello?" I idly leaned my head against his shoulder, to which he put his arm around me.

"It's just a hunch." Mello said quietly. "Where they're based is too far for me to find with the Mind Gift."

I nodded, not in the mood to talk but not in the mood for silence either.

I didn't notice when Mello had begun to stroke my hair, but I became acutely aware of it when he said, "We should go on a vacation, chéri. Just the two of us."

I was so surprised that I turned my head sharply to look at Mello confusedly. He was staring off into the night, his eyes roaming the city. I could tell Mello was restless, and I knew he wasn't one for such a fixated routine as the one we were living now.

I kissed him lightly on the cheek. "And where would you have in mind if we were to go on this holiday, Mello?"

Mello shrugged absently, his eyes not leaving the city. "Somewhere up in New England maybe." Mello mused.

Out of respect I held back my laughter. I was born in the South, and my family had run an indigo plantation. Yes, we had had slaves, and yes we were strong supporters of the Confederacy. Even now after the war had been over for nine years and Louisiana had rejoined the union only a few years ago, it was still hard to shake my beliefs. "New England? Whatever would we do there?" I asked with still a faint tone of mocking in my voice.

Mello shrugged, wringing his hands together nervously. "Je ne sais pas… It's just someplace to go."

I nodded, understanding Mello's viewpoint but not agreeing with it. I liked New Orleans well enough, thanks. And I don't think New England was quite like New Orleans, with its balmy nights and banana tress. Seeing as December was approaching, I also think it would be rather chilly and snowy up there.

After a few moments of silence I wrapped my arms around Mello and kissed his neck tenderly. "I'm sorry you're getting bored with this place."

Mello smiled sadly and tilted my chin to get a better look at me. "But I'll never be bored with you, my love."

I parted my lips slightly, waiting for the firm press of Mello's lips to come. When they did I was greeted by the taste of Mello's Blood, which was sweet and pleasing. As I leaned closer into the kiss I felt Mello's tongue slip into my mouth. He licked around a bit playfully, and then pressed his tongue up against the tip of my left fang. I moaned slightly as I felt his flesh pierce and even more of his Blood spill out in a thin stream. Mello held the kiss just a little bit longer, the broke it, panting slightly.

"And now," Mello said, still slightly breathless. "I bid you a good evening." Characteristically, he had vanished.

I sighed, wondering where Mello had gone. It was so like Mello to give me a Blood kiss and then vanish, but it also meant he was up to something. In a slightly glum mood I walked back inside, closing the sliding door slowly.

"Are you ready, Near? It's time for us to hunt, you know," I was greeted by the sight of Sayu looking very chipper and happy in a bright red wool cape.

"Oui, let's go." I said quietly, grapping my own coat from a hook and throwing it over my shoulders.

That night was typical in terms of tracking down the Evil Doer and killing them. However, as Sayu and I were wandering the streets, breath in the scents of mortal coffeehouses and restaurants, I could have sworn that I had seen Mello ducking into the door of our agent's office. What he could have been doing there I could not imagine. Those such things Mello and I left to Sayu. In fact at the time I brushed that thought away, seeing as hadn't appeared to have seen Mello I thought I must have been imagining it.

Mon Dieu, was I ever wrong.

The next night I found it odd that Mello and Sayu were constantly smiling at each other. When I asked what it was that was making them so cheery, Sayu broke out giggling and Mello only put a finger to his lips secretively.

"My darling! Have I ever been so happy to see you?" This was what Mello cried joyfully the moment I stepped through the door after hunting that night. Mello swept me up in a tight hug. I was surprised to see him Mello dressed for a formal outing, wearing his best red velvet jacket and black silk waist coast with another red shirt beneath it which puffed out at the arms. He was looking all very piratey, but I liked it all the same.

"I'm sure you have…" I muttered as he hugged me again and kissed the top of my head.

"There is a new Parisian fashion boutique across the Quarter that is supposed to be trés magnifique! We must go there without delay!"

I raised an eyebrow suspiciously. I wasn't quite sure where Mello would hear this from other then if he was reading the minds of mortals. It wasn't that I didn't believe Mello, and he very much enjoyed French trends, but there was something slightly off with this whole thing. Besides, it was getting rather late for shopkeepers to stay open. Regardless, it was impossible for me to turn Mello down, especially when he was so excited.

"Have you ordered a carriage then?" was my reply.

Mello laughed s if that were a silly thing to ask. "Of course I have, chérie!"

"You two both have a good time then." Sayu came over to us and kissed us on both cheeks. It was a rather formal goodbye for a simple outing, which made me even more suspicious as to what Mello really had in mind.

When Mello and I were leaving the flat, Sayu said, "Bon voyage!" as she closed the door on us. Again, something that implies Mello was taking me somewhere other then the new fashion boutique across the Quarter. I said nothing though, only linking arms with Mello as we walked down the stairs.

When we got outside the coach was already there, the driver standing by his horses expectedly. Mello paid him and we got inside. It was a rather exquisite coach, with plush red velvet seating. Of course Mello would settle for nothing less then the best. It was so like him it made me smile as I ran my fingers across the seat.

Too soon however, I noticed we had far left the French Quarter. In fact, I believe we were nearing the outer edges of the city when I had gathered the nerves to say, "Mello, it appears the driver is lost."

Mello turned his head from the window to face me in a very grave, serious manner. "Near," he said. "You must forgive me." Oh God, his tone and manner was so like that of when he was hypnotized it frightened me quite a bit.

"Pour quoi faire?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Mello was looking at me with the same amount of gravity when he said, "I'm taking you to Boston for a few nights."

I sighed rather loudly and threw my head back. Of course, if Mello wanted a holiday then he assuredly would get one.

"Boston…" I muttered almost disgustedly, my French accent causing me to almost drop the 'n' entirely. "What are we going to do in Boston?"

Mello shrugged casually. "Museums… Art galleries… Stuff."

I rolled my eyes at him. "But what about our things, and more importantly our coffins?"

"Oh I packed all those when you were out hunting with Sayu."

I should have guessed. "And of course Sayu knew about this?"

"Spot on, my darling."

I was about to turn to ignore him and persistently gaze out the window when he took me with gentle hands into his lap. "But you seem so tense, my dear." He purred as he began to expertly massage my shoulders. I could not help but let a tired grin spread across my face.

"I wonder what would have happened," Mello began softly, his lips kissing my ears slightly as he spoke. "If you were mortal when I was, and we had somehow met up in Russia."

"We probably would fallen in love…" I murmured as I leaned back more comfortable into Mello's chest.

I felt Mello's silky lips part in a grin. "I think, darling, even before that, perhaps the moment I first saw you, I would have immediately made it my goal to seduce you."

"It would have worked." I replied. "In fact, you make me wish we could make love right here and now." Yes, I was half asleep and not really watching my words, but it didn't particularly matter. I believe it pleased Mello to hear me talk of such scandalous things.

"Alas, that is the one flaw of a blood drinker. We are blessed with great beauty and immortality, and yet we cab do nothing with it."

"Well you are a great kisser." I murmured, really starting to drift off.

Mello chuckled. "Oh, merci mon chéri, Ovid taught me…" I think Mello ad continued to talk in his husky yet melodious voice about the Roman poet, but I already had fallen into a relaxed mortal sleep.


When I woke again, it was already the next ngiht and I was snuggled up against Mello in his coffin.

"Mello?" I said quietly, wondering if he was still under the sleep of the sun. When Mello began to stroke my hair in rhythm, I knew he wasn't.

"You must have been really tired last night, my darling." He hummed quietly.

Ignoring that comment, I moved on to my next question. "How far are we away from Louisiana?"

Mello chuckled. "Quiet far already, dearest. We're in southern Virginia."

"Mello!" I exclaimed. "You must have pushed the driver half to death!"

"Indeed I did." Mello responded. "He said it was worth what I paid him though."

I blinked. Despite the consistency in my life that was Mello, Virginia was still quite far away. Never having traveled anywhere in the United States outside of New Orleans, I felt almost insecure about being so far away from home, but still in the same country. It was strange, I know, but true none the less. The more comforting thing was, we were still in South, if only just barely.

Mello pushed open the lid of our coffin, standing up and stretching like a feline. I sat up also, still not entirely awake and watched Mello as he drew back the thick velvet curtains from the windows. Windows that were not French. In fact, nothing about the designing of this room was French. I bit back a sigh.

Mello turned to me and smiled. "Let's go exploring, my angel. I want to go the villages nearby that have been destroyed by the war. We may find something interesting, you know."

I smiled and took Mello's hand. That was an activity that did interest me. My mother had holed me up during those four terrible years, and I a feisty young boy had wanted to see it all. In fact I had been greatly jealous of Aurore, may God bless her soul, when her family had made a holiday of traveling up to see the first battle. She of course had been almost killed in thing, but that mattered not mattered at the time.

Despite the Reconstruction and the South now being a happy, military free states of the Union the South was still much in ruins. I did feel remorseful about the some six hundred thousand odd people that had died in the war, but I was astonished to find that Mello was actually crying. And he hadn't even been in America during the time of the war!

(And I would have fallen)

I stepped carefully through the rubble to where Mello was standing.

(in love)

I kissed his cheeks, clearing away the Blood tears.

(the moment I saw you.)

Mello looked at me somberly, as if the spirits of the dead men and women were describing their firsthand experiences of the war to him. "This could be our future if we are not careful."

I looked down at the charred remains of a burnt farmhouse, then out on to the cropless fields which had been salted. Burned, destroyed, killed, tortured, withered, dead. That is what Mello had meant.

"How simple the lives of mortals," I said. "For everywhere they turn they do not have to watch for those of their own kind which seek to kill them for believing what we all instinctively know."

"That money and power does not matter as long as you have love in your life."

"Because they have never loved they do not understand it of those who do love."

"And they seek to kill what it is that they do not understand."

"Because if they know everything the world is theirs."

"And sinners against that will die."

"And God will not love His people."

"So they will all wither in their hopelessness."

"Once dead, the world will cease to turn because there is no one to witness it."

Mello put a hand on my shoulder to steady me. Hearing this come out of our mouths in such a monotone drone was unnerving, and I felt very feint. "But if they die before that, with love in their hearts, then the unloving God will never rule because they are not there to serve Him."

"We have won." I whispered, closing my eyes. I tilted my head, invitingly showing my neck. Mello accepted, and as I felt his fangs pierce my flesh I knew everything would be alright. In this war, it did not matter if we died. If we died loving each other, then we would die happily. Knowing Mello though, I knew his heart wouldn't stop pounding in my ears until he hurt all those that had ever wronged us as much as he could.


A/N: Well, I hoped you all liked the idea of Mello forcing Near to take a load off! It will be fun writing the next chapter because Near we unceasingly bash those Yankees in his narrative like the true Southerner he is! But it will also be sad... Because bad things happen in chapter twelve. Actually, it's more like one thing and then a hippy dippy vacation in Boston.... I'll stop rambling now.