I DO NOT own Death Note!!

OMG...It's been forever since I wrote a chapter for this story. I apologize for it taking so long. Lots of crap going on in my life atm. Well, here is the new chapter. Hope everyone enjoys it. Thanks to everyone who has left reviews, I love reading your feedback. The more reviews I get the more I want to right so I can keep all of you happy. I will try to get another chapter out soon. Well, enjoy chapter 14!!

Mello sat in the hushed silence of the hospital room, the only sound coming from the steady beeping of the heart monitor and the hushed murmur of voices behind him. He sat in a chair beside Near and held his hand, gently rubbing his thumb back and forth over his fingers. Roger looked over at the boy from where he stood by the door talking to the doctor. Mello hadn't moved once in the hour they had been there.

"When do you think he will wake?" Roger turned back to the doctor, who had just now come to talk to them even though they had been there for a while.

"He was drifting in and out early this morning. We were worried last night because he started to exhibit signs of brain swelling. But he responded quickly to medication and the swelling went back down. We have decreased his pain medication slightly in hopes that he will wake soon. But with any injury to the brain, it is really just a waiting game. He may wake up any minute or he may wake up a few days from now. It all depends on how bad the brain injury is."

"How bad could it be, doctor? Near is a very intelligent boy. He has a very high I.Q. Could this effect that?"

"We wont know until he wakes. There could be no lasting effects at all. But I have seen people with this type of head injury end up in a care facility because they lost so much of who they were. The good news is that he is still a child. Children have been known to recover from brain injuries because they are still developing."

"Near may be a child in body, doctor, but if you have one conversation with him, you will know that the mind in that body does not think like a child." Roger sighed and looked back at the boys. Near still looked awful, but at least some of the color had returned to his skin.

The doctor crossed his arms and followed Roger's gaze. "Do you think that is why he chose to become sexually active at such a young age?"

Roger blinked and looked back at the doctor. "I hadn't really thought of it that way. You would need to ask him that question. I never know what is going on in that mind of his."

"Near?" Roger looked over to see Mello leaning over the bed, touching Near's face. His eyes fluttered softly and Mello lifted his hand to his face, kissing the back of his fingers. "Near can you hear me?" Near groaned softly and turned his head toward the sound of Mello's voice. His eyes opened for a second before closing again. "Near, it's Mello. I'm right here with you. Please open your eyes."

Near opened his eyes slowly and seemed to take a long time before finally focusing on the other boy. "Mello?" Near's voice was a harsh whisper as he spoke. He tried to swallow but his mouth was to dry. "Water."

Mello nodded and sat back, letting go of his hand so he could pour some water from a pitcher into a cup and put a straw in it. He stood and sat again on the edge of the bed. He held the cup in one hand and put the straw to Near's lips with the other. Near drank at it hungrily and Mello pulled it away before he was finished. "Not to much, Near. Don't drink it to fast or it will make you sick."

Near looked up at him for a moment before looking over at Roger, who had walked to the other side of the bed. The doctor was busy making noted on Near's chart while reading over some of the many machines still attached to the small boy.

"Where am I?" Near's eyes looked panicked for a moment before Mello took his hand again and stroked his arm comfortingly.

"You're in the hospital. Do you remember what happened?"

Near thought for a moment. His mind was really fuzzy. He flashed on images of him and Mello together and blushed slightly. He looked cautiously at Roger before turning back to Mello. "What am I supposed to remember?"

Mello smiled softly. He knew why Near was blushing and he enjoyed that he could get that reaction from him even when he was hurt and laying in a hospital bed. "It's okay, Near, Roger knows."

Near's eyes widened. "You told him? I thought you said not to tell anyone."

It was Mello's turn to blush. He looked down at Near's hand, the IV still there giving him drugs and fluids. "It was sort of an emergency. Do you remember how you got hurt?"

Near nodded, looking worried as his eyes moved between Mello and Roger. "It was Matt."

Mello sighed and closed his eyes. "We know it was Matt. Do you remember what happened?"

Picking up his right arm, Mello looked at the bandages and cast a moment before setting it back down. "He closed the dresser on my hand. He grabbed my hair and hit my head against it." Near took a deep breath and squeezed his eyes closed, hot tears running down his cheeks. "He said he wanted me to stay away from you. I told him I love you." Near shook his head and opened his eyes again to see tears on Mello's face. "I don't remember anything after that."

Mello nodded and wiped the tears off Near's face with the back of his hand. "He threw you into the mirror."

Near's eyes widened. "The mirror?" He looked back and forth between Mello and Roger until settling on the doctor when he came to stand behind Mello.

"Mello, why don't you go down the hall and get something cold to drink while I tell Near about his injuries." The doctor put his hand on Mello shoulder and gave him a reassuring squeeze, pulling him back gently.

"I don't want to go." Mello dug his heels in and wouldn't let the doctor move him. "I wont leave him alone."

The doctor knelt in front of Mello, his hands on the boys shoulders. "I know you don't want to leave him. But I need to talk to Near, and it may be better if you were not in the room. It will only be a few minutes. I will call you back in as soon as I am done."

Mello shook his head and was about to shake off the doctors restraining hands when Near spoke again. "Mello, it's alright. I'll be okay."

Mello looked over him, saw the pleading in his eyes, and could only nod. He shrugged off the doctors hand and left the room, sitting in one of the chairs in the waiting room down the hall.

It was more then a few minutes that Mello was left sitting alone, waiting. He was watching the clock. Watching at the minutes went by, almost 35 minutes when Roger finally came and sat next to him.

"Near is sleeping again. He was understandably upset by what the doctor told him."

"Why have I been sitting here for so long? The doctor said only a few minutes."

Roger shook his head and put his hand on Mello's shoulder to pull him back into the chair as he tried to stand and go back to the room. "Near didn't want you to see him cry."

Mello paled. "He cried?"

"You can understand why Near didn't want you to see that. The doctor gave him something to help him sleep again because he was getting a headache. Near said you could go back in when he was sleeping again." Roger shifted in his chair and folded his hands in his lap. "Near made a request of the doctor, though. He asked that if he cannot go home yet, that you be allowed to stay with him. He is scared and you make him feel safe, Mello."

"What did the doctor say?" Mello looked at Roger, his eyes hopeful, but inside he was waiting for the blow to fall.

"The doctor doesn't like the idea. He talked with Near about your relationship, which he doesn't think is healthy."

"What did Near say to that?"

"He told the doctor that his personally relationships were on no concern to him and that had in no way hurt him and never would. That he loves you and believes that you love him. The doctor made the comment that what happened to him was because of that relationship and Near became angry. He said that what happened to him was a misunderstanding that he hopes to rectify in the future."

Mello felt the corners of his mouth twitch in a smile. "That sounds like Near."

"The doctor didn't know what to say after that. He said that you could stay for tonight and he will see how it goes before he decides if you can stay until he is released."

Mello sighed with relief and closed his eyes. "Will you let me stay?"

"For tonight. But I will be seeing how it goes as well, Mello. I know you to well. If you cause any trouble, I will drive back here and pick you up the minute they call me."

"I'll behave, I promise." Mello looked up at Roger and tried to smile. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. You may go sit with him again. The doctor wants a private word with me before I go back." Roger watched as Mello made his way back down the hall, his head down, his hands twisting around each other nervously. His eyes shifted away from the boy when the doctor stepped out of the room across the hall and watched the boy with careful eyes. He shook his head and walked toward Roger, sitting in the chair Mello had just vacated.

"I don't like this. I would understand if he wanted you to stay, as parental figure. But a 12 year old boy requesting that his 14 year old lover stay with him because he makes him feel safe just isn't right."

Roger smiled knowingly. "If I am anything to Near it is simply as a guardian. He doesn't look at me as a parental figure, neither does Mello. You don't know those boys, doctor, but I do. They are very different from normal boys. Their IQ's being so high is only one thing that makes them different. They are two of the most intelligent, self sufficient, logical people I have ever met. Their age doesn't make any difference to that. The fact that they have become attached to each other is a big improvement for two boys who have spent a large amount of their lives alone, taking care of themselves. The fact that their relationship has turned sexual does concern me slightly, because they are so young. But given who they are, I am not surprised. They are more mature mentally then most adults I know."

"You will allow them to continue their relationship?"

"I will allow them to have a relationship, yes. But I will talk to them about having a sexual relationship in a place where privacy is not always certain. I will talk to them about how their behavior could influence others. They are bright boys, doctor, they will understand."

"I hope so. But if it happens in my hospital I will not allow Mello back in that room with Near again."

"Doctor, Near is injured and in pain. Mello only wants to be sure he is alright. Sex is the last thing on that boys mind right now."

"I hope that is true. And I trust you have warned him to behave himself? I don't want another incident with the nurses."

"Mello was understandably upset. He will behave himself. He knows the consequences if he does not."

The doctor nodded and stood. "I have patients I need to see. I will look in on the boys from time to time. Will you be leaving soon?"

"Yes, I have things that need doing. I will talk to Mello again before I leave. Good day, doctor."

The doctor nodded to him and went on his way. Roger stood with a sigh. He was hoping with all his heart that Mello would behave himself, but he knew in the back of his mind that Mello would be Mello.

Roger stepped into Near's room to see Mello sitting at his side, once again holding his hand. "I have to go now, Mello." Roger knelt beside him. "Will you be okay here by yourself?"

"I'll be fine. I want to stay." Mello covered Near's hand his both his own.

"Mello, remember what I said. You need to behave yourself or you will not be allowed back in here. That means refraining from any public display of affection as well. You can hold his hand, but don't kiss him, don't touch him in any inappropriate way. That doctor is very much against your relationship, son don't give him any excuse to keep you out of here. And let the nurses do their job."

"Can I hold him?" Mello looked up at Roger, the pain of needing to watch his actions plain in his eyes, laced with a heavy dose of defiance.

"I don't know. You can ask the doctor. But if he okay's it, make sure you are careful. He will be in a lot of pain."

"I will. But I don't know if I can be here if I cant hold him if he needs me to."

Roger nodded and stood. "I appreciate your honestly, Mello. If Near needs to be held, make sure you tell the doctor first. If he argues, let near tell him how he feels. If you need me, all you have to do is call."

"Thanks, Roger. I'll be okay."

Mello turned back to watching Near and Roger knew it was time for him to leave. He patted Mello once on the shoulder and left the room. Once in his car, he sat and closed his eyes for a moment before picking his up his cell phone.

"Yes?"

"It's Roger. I need to speak with L."

"One moment please Roger."

Roger sighed and slumped in his seat as the line buzzed on hold. He was tired and sick at heart over what was happening with Near. But he had work he had to do at the house before he could sleep.

"Hello, Roger. How is Near?"

"He is doing alright. He was hurt badly, L." Roger took a breath and told L about all of Near's injuries. "He woke up for the first time about an hour ago. The head injury doesn't seem to have effected his brain."

"Those are very serious injuries. Was he informed of them when he woke?"

"Yes, the doctor told him."

"What was his reaction?"

"He is hurt and scared, L. What do you think his reaction was? He cried for a while, then he yelled at the doctor for sticking his nose in his relationship with Mello, then he cried some more while begging the doctor to let Mello stay with him."

"Interesting. I would not have thought Near to be one to cry."

"God damn it, L. This isn't an experiment or one of your training sessions. Near is seriously hurt and he is scared. He has painkillers and God known how many other drugs in his system right now. He has a damn good excuse to cry."

"Yes, I am aware of that. If Near were a normal child I would not be surprised. But you and I both know that Near is not a normal child. Any expression of emotion is rare for him. It may be the drugs making him over emotional, or it may be the pain and fear causing him to lose control of the emotions he usually keeps a tight rein on."

"It doesn't matter why, L."

"No, I guess not. How is Mello handling the situation?"

"He is upset. I think he doesn't quite know how to handle what is happening, to both him and to Near. At times he seems very devoted to Near, wanting and will to do anything possible to help him. But sometimes I look at him and he seems lost, like he doesn't know what to do with himself."

"It is a new emotion for Mello, caring for someone so deeply. Did the doctor allow Mello to stay with Near?"

"For now, yes. He is letting Mello stay for tonight. But he is going to be keeping a very close eye on them to be sure Mello behaves himself. He is adamant that I put a stop to their relationship."

"What was your reaction to that?"

"I told him a little about them, about how they aren't typical children. He seemed interested in that. But their age still concerns them. If they were the same age, I think he would look the other way. But Near being 12 seems to really get to him."

"Is it because he is a doctor and is trying to look out for his patient? Or was he abused in the past and feels that Near is being abused?"

"I don't know anything about the doctor's past, L. If you want to know you will need to look it up yourself."

"I will do that. What is the doctor's name?"

"Derrick Smith. Don't go causing trouble for the doctor, L. He seems like a good man and he is taking good care of Near."

"I simply wish to see if there is a reason why he is so involved with Near being sexually active. I will call you if I find any information. Keep me informed on how Near is doing. I would like to know how Mello is reacting as well."

"I will. I need to get back to work now."

"Yes, of course. We will speak again soon." The line went dead and Roger turned off his phone, putting it back in his pocket before starting the car and driving back to Whammy House.