Near: This chapter was never supposed to exist.

Sherlock: In the story, I was supposed to fluctuate between Simon and Near, but I took control of the situation, so much so that Ace felt really bad for him

Simon: Me, that is. She doesn't feel sorry for Near in the slightest, really since he gets the girl

Matt: But you see, she couldn't quite let go of the storyline all the way, so she wrote the idea out as a Dog Scraps.

Mello: You see, Dog Scraps chapters are chapters or storylines that either were originally in the plan but ended up dropped as the story wore on or completely random storylines Ace got that don't really fit in with the rest of the story.

Near: They aren't even real chapters, so you could go ahead and skip all of them if you want to.

Sherlock: In fact, none of them will be told from my perspective to add a little variety to the mix.

Simon: To tell the truth, they aren't even particularly revelent to the story!

Matt: Still, if you do read it, Ace and the rest of us claim no responsibility for any of what is produced in this or any Dog Scraps or how they may impact your view of the story.

Mello: They are, after all, just Dog Scraps. (whispers to Matt) Thank God, she's finally done having us read from the cards.

Ace: Mello, could we get through one chapter without any of your crap?

Matt: No.

Ace: Thank you, Captain Obvious. Go off and play with Lieutenant Sarcasm over there.

Mello: I am not the uke in this relationship!!!!!! (Everyone stares at Mello.) Wow, that was kinda loud, wasn't it?

Ace: Yeah. Moving on now!

Dog Scraps: The Bridge

Simon

Olivia. My best friend. My comrade in arms. My willing accomplice. My most reliable deputy. But for the past three years, she'd been my most persistent ghost. In all my years of tracking people. I'd never come across someone whose life had been quite so throughly erased. If not for my fading memories of the haunting and haunted girl, I almost would've though her only a dream. A very convincing dream, true, but a dream all the same.

I did say almost. There were slight traces of her, tidbits that kept me going on this seemingly endless goose chase. She was in England, I think. She'd been there for some years now if I was right. If I wasn't, she could be in Antarctica for all I knew. I really hoped I wasn't wrong.

Only one member had wanted to come with me overseas, a newer girl to the gang world, Housten. Her black eyes and hair were never far from my sight, and the others back in the 'States didn't mind taking orders from her. I didn't know her age or her past; I didn't even know her last name, but I didn't particularly care. She didn't know mine either.

"Housten, I'm going out. Stay here and keep an eye on the transfers for me."

She looked up from the computer, pulling out a headphone from one ear. "Sure thing, Boss," she said, taking my recently vacated chair in front of the monitor showing various account numbers and the rapid movement of dollar signs, and they were large dollar signs too. For almost any other gang leader, those numbers would've made them happy, but not me. All I wanted was my Olivia back.

I got on my new demonic motorcycle, all metal, shiny, and loud. I grimaced as I pulled on the leather jacket and a biker's helmet, a jet-black thing that wouldn't protect me in either a street fight or an accident, but they were my cover. My only hope in a street fight would be the slim handgun concealed in some of the elaborated piping, and as for an accident, well, I'd just have to hope Kira hadn't taken a sudden disliking to me.

I gunned the engine, wincing at the loud roar and wishing for my custom hollow Plexiglas frame one at home. It was practically silent, handled like a dream, and was safe as houses. Still, I mused to myself as I wove through traffic, at least this death-trap has as much speed as the ones at home. I wanted to rip my helmet off and blaze headlong down a deserted street, but I was smart. I didn't even do that on my home-turf anymore, never mind on unfamiliar, possibly enemy streets. There was a reason why I was still alive, after all.

I stopped the bike at a coffeehouse and dismounted, absently locking up before I walked over and selected a table on the small patio area. I'd planned on only staying for a few moments, but all those plans flew right out the window when the six-some of kids walking by started arguing in front of me, all of them looking to be about my age.

There were three boys- no wait, scratch that, four; one of the kids I'd thought was a girl crossed his arms, revealing a lack of boobs, proving himself a boy beyond a shadow of a doubt. There was a redhead boy with orange goggles plastered to his side, a little white-haired kid who clung to one of the girls, a taller black-haired boy with red demon eyes, and the blond boy aforementioned for being almost a girl in addition to the little perky but sallow blond girl who was making doe eyes at the demon-boy and the brunette who would occasionally glance down at the white-haired boy as though she was afraid he would get lost in the crowd, which was a valid concern given his size and child-likeness.

All in all, they weren't the kind of kids I would normally pay any attention to. I wouldn't even have been paying attention to them now if I hadn't spotted about the brunette, something important. She walked with a lilting, almost dancing movement, one I recognized as a ready gang walk, perfect for encounters with impulsive people and possible enemies. I had found Olivia.

But it wasn't Olivia at the same time. She looked like my Olivia, but I could tell this Olivia didn't belong to the gang world, to me. She belonged to these kids, to the little white-haired kid who clung to her as tightly as a drowning person would his life raft and was so carefully watched in return. Olivia wouldn't welcome me if I revealed myself to her. She was just as dead in the explosion all those years ago.

I got on the motorcycle angrily and gunned the throttle, not caring as everyone watched the boy with the screaming silver death-trap. They wouldn't see it as anything else, not even Olivia. People saw only what they wanted to see, and Olivia obviously didn't want to see me. I drove like a suicidal maniac, not stopping until I was underneath a bridge and out of road. I threw the bike down and glared out the polluted Thames, cloudy with who-knows-what.

After a while, a warm hand set itself down on my shoulder. I shrugged it off, not wanting to talk about it. "Go away, Housten. Don't you have to watch the transfer?"

"It finished hours ago, Boss," she said, sitting down beside me. I didn't acknowledge her in any way, not wanting her to know what had happened back there. To my dismay, she proved herself to be much more insightful than I thought she was. "You saw her back there, didn't you?"

"Who?" I asked with a sinking heart.

"That girl you've been looking for, the old deputy."

I swallowed hard. "Yeah. She was with some other kids. She looked happy enough, but she's still badly broken up inside. If I revealed myself to her, I'd likely undo everything that little white-haired shrimp did for her."

She patted my shoulder. "I understand. She wants you, and you want her, but you aren't what she needs right now. She needs that white-haired kid right now, whoever you're talking about. Maybe you'll be able to reconnect with her one day on her terms, but until then, you'll have to act as though she's dead."

I glared at her, sizing her up. "When did you get so smart?" I asked, my eyes narrowed. She smiled half-heartedly, trying to cheer me up.

"I've always been that smart; you've just never noticed me before."

I pushed myself up, eying her. "Housten?"

"Yes, Boss?"

"One, don't call me Boss. I'm to be Simon to you, okay?" I waited until she nodded before I continued. "Two, I think it's time I nominated another deputy. You know what, forget deputy. It's lieutenants from now on, and you're mine now, if you don't mind."

She put a hand on my elbow, much like Olivia used to. But Olivia was gone now. All I had was this strange, fragile new thing growing between Housten and me. "I don't mind at all, Bo- Simon."

Mello: Please, no cards ever again! It's not worth it!

Ace: Yeah, well, too bad. Every time I write a Dog Scraps, you'll all be reading from the cards! Mwahahahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!

Mello: No, Matty! Save us all from the horrible card-reading!

Matt: Aw, Mells, don't be such a baby. It's just reading.

Mello: (sniffle) Yeah, well, if I'm reading, I have a hard time working in my sarcastic comments and various crap.

Everyone except Mello and Matt: EXACTLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(The pair stare at us all with hurt expressions.)

Mello: Well, um, if that's how you feel, I think I'm gonna go find a nice room to go eat chocolate in. Matty, you're coming too.

Matt: Why?

Mello: BECAUSE YOU'RE BETTER THAN CHOCOLATE, THAT'S WHY!!!!

(Everyone stares at him with wide eyes, including Housten, who just came in and sat in Simon's lap.)

Ace: What!?! I've been replaced!?!

Simon: No. I never said I liked you in that way.

Ace: Who am I supposed to hide behind now?

Simon: (shrug) I don't know, maybe that L character everyone except Housten and me seems so fixated on.

Ace: Thanks, Si, you're the best! (runs and hides behind L who randomly appeared, eating cake.)

L: Remember, review and I'll get more cake.

Housten: Um, L, I don't think that's really gonna be good incentive for anyone to review but you.

L: (sniffle) But I like cake.

Ace: (hugs L) It's okay, L. I'll give you cake. (He smiles at her. She leans down and whispers to Simon, a video game addict) The cake is a lie!!!!!!!!

Matt: (yelling) Did I hear a Portal reference?

Ace and Simon: No!!!!!!!!!!! (mutter under breath) Yes.

(:P to L. Unless we get more reviews, I'm gonna force him to play Portal. Mwahahahahahahahahaha! Yes, I know, I'm evil and a bad influence, and all that crap. Remember, stay in drugs, don't do skool, and I absolutely swear to drunk, I'm not Kira. Probably.)