A/N: Happy news! My headache was almost completely gone by this morning and I was ready and able to work again. Will begin posting new chapters tomorrow! For now, I must rest. (To be completely honest, writing tends to make me forget I have a headache, so it definitely helps.)

Enjoy and thank you all for the wonderful feedback!

(Near P.O.V)

I'd had a nightmare for the first time in a year. In it I saw everyone that I loved – Matt, Mello, L, Light – but they all looked at me like I was a blight to the world. When I went to speak with them, they would back away with a look of disgust. It made me feel like I was nothing more than a nuisance. Like they didn't care what happened to me or whether I lived or died…

Like they didn't love me.

I tried to talk to them… to yell and scream their names. But no words formed, and they only laughed at me. I cried and they continued to laugh. It was sickening… the feeling of being unloved. Unwanted.

When the laughing got louder and my tears wouldn't stop, I woke up. I was still crying though, and I desperately looked around to find Mello and Matt. Matt was still below me in the bunk bed, and Mello was still in his single bed across the room. Nothing had changed… but I still felt sick to my stomach. Like I was still unloved.

I climbed down from my bed to wake Matt. It was an utter failure since he slept like the dead and had barely paid attention to me. So I crossed the room and crawled into Mello's Bed. Thankfully, he woke up almost instantly.

"Near?" He asked tiredly, not even looking at my face. "What are you doing? Go back to bed."

"Mello…" I choked out, sniffling a bit.

He grumbled and was about to yell at me, when he turned around and saw the tears on my cheeks. He had even stopped in mid rage to calm down a bit for my sake.

"What happened?" He asked, rather unhappily.

"I had a nightmare. In it, you all were ignoring me, like you didn't love me…"

"Near, you're smarter than this. Of course we love you, we all do. It was just a bad dream."

I wiped away a tear. "Can I sleep in your bed tonight? I'd feel better if I could do that."

The blonde sighed heavily. I knew he wasn't fond of me, so asking this much was a long shot for me.

He pushed some of his blanket aside and replied with, "Get in."

I smiled happily as I hugged him close. He didn't hug back, but he didn't push me away either.

I slipped under the covers as well as the blonde before me, and got comfortable. Before Mello drifted off though, his back to me, I had one more request.

"Could you tell me a story?"

Mello growled. "You're pushing your luck, kid."

I cringed a bit and tried to fall asleep. I knew it was a slim chance he would tell me a story.

However…

A small sigh and the sheets ruffled a bit before Mello's face came into view. "What kind of story?"

I grinned a bit. "A happy one?"

Mello groaned a bit. "Alright.

"So, there was this guy, who was born into a very poor family…"

I scowled a bit. "This isn't a very happy start."

"Just keep listening, and no more interruptions.

"Alright, so there was a guy, who was born into a very poor family. Time and time again they would go through their lives without food and barely little water. But the guy, a boy who was only ten years old, would smile every day. In turn, this made his family smile. He would do tricks for them and tell jokes to make them laugh. His sisters, who had nothing but ragdolls to play with, would smile with genuine delight over their brother's jokes. The elder brother, who had lost his arm in the war, would laugh heartily with the girls. The mother was not a pretty woman, and their father was not a wealthy man, but still they smiled through everything. Why? Because of this boy. A child who knew no such thing as sadness.

"Now, on the other side of the land, in a castle taller than any other building, lived a spoiled and rotten prince. Being heir to the throne he would inherit the powers to control his lands, and that thought made him greedy. He'd spit on his servants, he'd curse and repeat vulgarity wherever and to whomever he chose. Despite all this, though, he never smiled. He never knew true happiness. Not a jester or a joke could make this prince happy. He simply did not know how to smile.

"This prince had another flaw, for he did not know how to love. His parents had not shown him what it was to love somebody, and in turn the prince had not learned what it was to have loved or to give love."

I had become intrigued by the story. I knew Mello was a good story teller, but rarely had he ever told a story to anyone. It was fascinating.

He continued. "One day, the boy and his family visited the town square, unbeknownst to them that the prince had done the same that day. The boy was still smiling, as usual, and its infectiousness caused many of the people around him to do the same. When he began singing songs and telling jokes, the people in the square had forgotten all their troubles and played along with him. However, the prince noticed his subjects were not paying attention to him and soon found the boy, who he'd thought a clown, and demanded to know the reason for his foolishness.

"The boy replied, 'What do you mean, my prince? I'm only having some fun! It makes everyone smile!'

"'Oh please!' The prince said with a snobby and uncaring voice. 'All you're doing is making a fool of yourself. Everyone is laughing at you and how pathetic you are.'"

"'So what if they are?' The boy asked. 'They're having fun at least.'

"The Prince paled. 'F-fun? How? I've never had fun before. How do you buy this… fun?'

"The boy shook his head, his smile growing a bit. 'You can't buy fun, my prince! You feel it in your heart!'

"The prince was silent now. The boys smile seemed to… genuine. He'd never seen a face like his in his castle before. Sure, he'd seen a smile or two, unknowing how to make one himself, but never had he seen a smile so bright and cheery. He was a commoner, wasn't he? What did he have to smile about?

"The prince then asked this of the child, and the boy's smile grew more. 'What isn't there to be happy about?! I have a momma and a papa! My brother lived through the war, and my sisters are still alive! If we don't have money, then we have each other. Money and power can buy you a lot of things, but I can't get my family back with it if they weren't alive. I'd be sad if I had only money and no one to share it with.'

"Once again, the prince was silenced. The words of the little boy in his presence humbled him. He had a knowing of the world he did not. He knew what it was to be happy and have people to love him. It was a luxury no money on earth could buy for him.

"The prince bowed to the little boy. 'My deepest apologies, young one. My actions were nothing more than despicable. I hope you can forgive me.'

"The boy picked him up from his bow. 'It's alright. No need to apologize. You can make it up to me by singing with me. Then we both look like fools!'

"And for the first time in the prince's life, a genuine smile spread across his face."

I grinned happily at the end of the story, my eyes growing heavy. "I liked that story."

Mello only shrugged. "I've come up with better ones. But are you satisfied?"

I nodded.

"Great, now go to sleep we have class in the morning."

My response was shutting my eyes tightly and waiting for Mello to drift off himself. When I believed he was asleep, I opened my eyes again and cuddled closely to him. I'd forgotten my stuffed bear on my bed and needed something to cuddle while I slept. Thankfully, Mello didn't push me away. I'd like to think it was because he cared for me, but I knew it was probably just because he was asleep.

Then again, had he not cared, would he have told me a story at all?

I smiled at the thought. Mello loved me. He just didn't say it.