A/N: Ooh, we're getting to the end! I hope everyone enjoys this. Btw, I actually started a new Death Note fic today. The first chapter is posted if anyone is interested!

Mello kicked open the hotel door, storming inside and yelling for Yagami. "Where the hell is he?!" Mello snarled as he saw the chair beside L was empty.

"Light has not joined us this afternoon," L responded, his hand pulling at his bottom lip as his eyes flickered almost worriedly over toward the vacant chair. "I'm afraid I have not been able to contact him."

Mello growled. "Do you see now? I told you we shouldn't trust him! How many people are dead, L? How many people that we worked with have been murdered because you refused to believe that-"

"Mello."

Mello's mouth snapped shut as his eyes slid over to the younger boy that had appeared at his side. Near's brows were drawn together as he gazed down at Mello's hand. Mello instantly pulled it behind him, hiding the damage that had been inflicted earlier that afternoon. Near's eyes shot up, looking at hi reprimanding. "Mello needs to clean his hand before it becomes infected. L will continue to attempt to contact Yagami."

"We don't have time for that! How many? How many people are-"

"Mello will clean his hand," Near repeated stubbornly, reaching out to pull on Mello's shirt. Mello didn't bother to move and Near frowned as the tugging increased. He kept his feet planted in place, turning his attention once again toward the world's best detective. L had spun his chair around once more and was typing away at his keyboard, his back bent low as he stared at the screen.

"L!"

The chair spun and L was suddenly on his feet, his face only inches away from Mello's own. Mello forced himself not to back away as the dark eyes peered into his own. "Does Mello truly want to know? Does he want to be told how all of the members of the original Kira task force died one after another, all having heart attacks? How Near confirmed that each member of the SPK has now been killed? How the mafia members that Mello drug into the investigation have also been confirmed deceased? Is that what Mello wants to know?"

Mello swallowed hard, struggling to keep eye contact. "A – all of them? Even Light's father?"

"Dead."

Mello blinked. That – that didn't make any sense. While Mello didn't doubt that Light would kill the others, killing his own family was something he always hesitated to do. He had even given up the Death Note to Mello in order to keep his sister alive. Killing his father didn't fit in with the pattern Light had established. Mello looked down, scowling at the floor and ignoring L as he backed away. "Near is correct that you need to get your hand looked at. Wammy will see to it."

Mello didn't resist as Near once again began to tug on Mello's shirt. He followed after the younger boy as he tried to work out the situation they had all found themselves in. If every other person that knew about the Death Note was dead…why were they still alive? Could he have been so wrong? Could the person now holding the Death Note truly not know their true names? Were they safe?

And what about Penber and Misora? Had they been killed as well? Or had they left when they began to hear about the deaths? How had the person in question even known about the people that knew of the Death Note? Had it been their list? But if that was the case, someone that had access to their computer system would have had to been involved. Which once again led to Yagami.

And he was now missing.

All of this seemed to lead him in two separate directions. Was Yagami guilty? Or was he innocent?

The only way to know the truth would be to find him.

Wammy finished wrapping Mello's hand and he gave Mello a disappointed glance as he stepped away from the boy. "Your temper will one day get you into trouble," he warned as he closed the first-aid kit.

Mello scowled but nodded his head in acknowledgement. He couldn't exactly disagree with the comment, not after everything that had happened in the previous timeline. Wammy fixed him once more with a saddened gaze before making his way out of the bathroom they had stationed themselves in. Mello waited a moment before following him, wanting to make sure that the older man was completely gone. Near was waiting for him and the white-haired boy grasped Mello's sleeve and pulled, lifting his arm so he could look at the bandages. "What did Mello do?"

"Penber and Misora are gone," Mello said in response. "I don't know if they-"

"Mello tends to hit things when he is angry. What did Mello hit?"

"That isn't important, Near! Did you hear me? Penber and Misora are gone! We don't have any proof about-"

"Matt will answer if Mello will not," Near sighed, turning and walking down the hall. Mello stared after him. Why was Near harping on his hand when they had more important things to be dealing with?! Near never had trouble putting the case first on any other occasion. Why was this different?

Mello stomped after the boy, ready to demand an answer from him, but he paused when he saw Matt looking toward the ceiling in an obvious attempt to avoid the gaze L was giving him. Near had paused just before Mello, his head tilted to the side. "Ah, there you boys are," Wammy commented. L's head snapped toward them. "I believe the boys have something to tell you, L. Listen to them carefully."

"I always listen carefully."

"Usually," Wammy agreed lightly, yet tiredly. For the first time, Mello noticed that the older man had dark circles under his eyes and he was moving slowly, as if he hadn't been getting much sleep.

Oh.

Mello wondered what Wammy had been seeing in his dreams every night.

Was he just as worried about L's closeness to Light as Mello was?

Why had he never said anything?

"Usually?" L questioned warily as he looked at his surrogate father.

Wammy gave the young man a small smile. "The boys have information that you should hear. I am proud that you have found someone that you connect to, L," Wammy said gently, placing a soft hand on L's shoulder, "but you know better than anyone that there are times to push away emotional connection and look at the facts."

L stared at Wammy and Mello swallowed hard. He wasn't sure why he was so uncomfortable but he suddenly wished he was anywhere else than where he currently was. L suddenly let out a growl and he turned toward Mello and Near. "Explain."

Mello glanced at Near and Matt, only to find the other two boys staring at him. He scowled. Right. He supposed it was up to him. He took a deep breath. "I met Raye Penber and Naomi Misora. In the other timeline, Light tricked Penber into writing the FBI agents names onto a piece of the Death Note. Penber is the person that killed the agents, though that was unknown to him. Penber woke with his memories the same time Light and I did. Misora began to remember later on. She never touched the Death Note so our belief that coming into contact with it is wrong."

"She was killed with it," Near pointed out lowly. "It is possible that because it had such an effect on her other life and she became aware of it's existence in this life is what led to her being able to remember various things."

"…maybe," Mello said dubiously. He really didn't know how this was working but Near's theory made just as much sense as any other. He would go with it. "Uh, anyway, Light never told us about Penber. He also never told us that he had met with Misora after Penber's death and that he had her kill herself." L's eyes flashed. "And then we realized that Yagami-san had to have agreed to the eye deal. That was how Yagami found out my name."

L didn't say anything as he turned away and perched on his desk chair once more. Mello waited, expecting L to once again tell him that Light wasn't to blame, but the older detective didn't say anything. Instead, he began to type on his keyboard once more. Mello hesitated. From the corner of his eye, he saw Near shake his head. Mello growled low in his chest. He understood that this was probably difficult for L but it was his fault for getting involved with their prime suspect in the first place! Mello refused to feel guilty. He had warned him, after all.

"Matt, please continue to attempt to contact Light. Near, trace Raye Penber and Naomi Misora's movements. See if they are unharmed."

"Yes, L," Matt muttered.

Near didn't comment, but he did move toward one of the laptop computers.

Mello waited.

L didn't look at him.

"And what do you want me to do?" Mello finally asked after it became clear the twenty-something man was not going to speak to him without prompting.

"Hmm? You seem to know what to do without my input, Mello. Do not let me interrupt you."

"L," Wammy chided. L didn't glance up.

Rage rose in Mello's chest. So, he hadn't fit into L's expectations so now he wasn't worth his time? How appropriate. "You're right," Mello snapped, his voice cold despite the burning in his chest. "I don't need you."

"Mells!"

L's fingers paused. "Then please, continue with your own investigation. You'll understand if Matt and Near continue with their tasks. After all, they are both still in the running to be my successors."

There was silence, both Near and Matt staring L with wide eyes. Mello couldn't even find it in himself to be surprised. Despite that, he felt as if a piece of him had been ripped away. Just like it had that day Roger had informed him of L's death and he decided to leave Wammy House.

He wondered if he would be stepping inside the building again, after this. Or would he be left on his own?

"L," Wammy chided once more.

He was ignored.

The only sound in the room was the clicking of L's keyboard. Matt was gaping at Mello. Near was furiously twisting a strand of his hair. And Mello just stood there, feeling as if he had missed a step as he walked down a staircase.

Lost.

A chime echoed throughout the room. All heads snapped toward L, who finally paused in his typing. The older man's shoulders tensed. "L?" Matt questioned hesitantly.

"Misa Amane has been found," L responded. Mello opened his mouth, ready to demand answers, but L continued before he could do so. "She is dead. An apparent heart attack."

It was in that moment that the door flew open. Mello turned quickly, his hand going to his hip where his gun once rested. Light Yagami strode into the room, his hair disheveled and his eyes red and slightly wild. The older teenager tossed a familiar black, and very deadly, notebook onto the desk beside L's keyboard.

"It's over."