A/N: This will be my last update for the next few days. I have an exam in 16 hours, then one Wednesday, next Monday and next Tuesday. *sigh*

Disclaimer: I don't own Death Note, not even in book form. I borrow from the library xD

Note: The title pays homage to Thomas Wolfe's famous short story. Also, any places mentioned are real places.

Chapter 37: The Far and the Near

It was only due to Matt's constant hounding as well as Allie's obvious need for clean clothes that I finally agreed to spend a day on the town. Matt – who normally hated the outdoors – chose Yokohama, of all places.

"It's where you'll find the most foreigners," Matt told us. "We'll blend in without a problem."

"It's where you'll find the best arcades," I translated for Allie's benefit. I arched a knowing eyebrow at Matt, who failed to hide his smirk.

"Haha, you know me so well…"

Three thin disguises, one crowded train, and forty-five tense minutes later, we were maneuvering through the bustling streets of Minato Mirai, shivering as the mid-December air nipped at our ears. As usual, I was on the lookout for plainclothes officers, but all I saw were flocks of tourists and throngs of students on break. Matt had been right – at least a third of these people were non-Japanese.

After making certain we weren't being followed, the three of us dodged into the nearest café, thankful for the warmth. A short, bespectacled waiter immediately materialized and guided us to a table near the back. We placed our orders – three hot chocolates – and he vanished as quickly as he had appeared.

"Wow," Allie commented, glancing around at the mirrored floor, walls and ceiling. "This place is awesome."

I cast the nearest wall a look of disgust, and my reflection glared right back at me. My "disguise" consisted of scraping together my cornsilk locks into a short ponytail, while Matt had opted for gelled spikes. With my leather attire and his fuzzy ensemble, we resembled a pair of washed-up rockers. To top it off, we each had a fake five o'clock shadow, courtesy of Allie's extraordinary makeup skills. As for my scar, it was caked in concealer and foundation, which lightened the raw, pink flesh quite considerably.

Allie, on the other hand, had dusted her own face and neck entirely with bronzer, giving off the impression she had been left out in the sun too long. One of Matt's spare shirts hung loosely off her frame, and her hazel eyes were ringed with liquid liner. Overall, she looked like a human-sized raccoon. And yet, somehow, she managed to pull it off.

"I beg to differ," Matt sniffed, jerking his head toward the large non-smoking sign hanging in the window. He slouched down into his seat and began to chew on the edges of his striped sleeves.

I snorted. "Can't you go one hour without lighting up?"

Matt pouted. "Never have, never will."

The server returned with our drinks, setting down in front of us three ceramic mugs brimming with steaming, hot cocoa. I watched as Allie stirred her beverage with a tiny spoon, poking at the miniature marshmallows that floated on the dark surface. She was eyeing Matt with a curious expression.

"Matt, when did you start?"

I was taken aback by her candor. I could tell that Matt, too, was startled. "Eh?" he asked, clearly stalling for time.

"When did you start smoking?"

Matt fidgeted uncomfortably. "Why do you want to know?"

"Um, I dunno. I was just wondering…" Allie faltered.

"It's a valid question," I added, realizing that I didn't know the answer either. I stared skeptically at my best friend, and drummed my gloved fingers against the table. "Well?"

The brunette – whose copper roots were already starting to grow back out – took a swig from his cup, not even wincing at the scalding liquid. "I don't remember," he said blandly.

"The hell you don't," I retorted. "Come on, Matty."

Matt cracked a smile. "Matty? Are you trying to sweet talk me?"

Underneath the table, I reared my leg back and delivered a swift kick to his shin. "Sweet talk this."

"Ouch! Okay, fine." Matt took a deep breath before confessing, "It... was after you left the orphanage."

He might as well have physically punched me in the stomach and said: It was when you left me.

Whatever heart I had left clenched tightly in my chest, and the last five years of my life went flying out the window, hollow and insignificant. Takada, Light, Misa, Halle … Flames danced and flashed behind my eyelids, one punished and the other unscathed. Soichiro, Sidoh, Sayu, Takimura, Ross…

A year and a half with the Mafia, and three and a half on the road. It had been a lonely one, paved with bodies and sacrifices that I could only find solace from in beads colored like my faults: blood-red. Matt may have forgiven me, and Allie may have accepted it, but I still wasn't ready to face the fallout. And now…

Now I had Matt's nicotine addiction hanging over my head as well, not to mention the possibility of lung cancer.

My dry lips parted.

"What's done is done," Matt said firmly before I could spit out a half-assed apology. "Besides, look how great we both turned out."

There was a long stretch of silence as I pondered this. Indeed, I had done great things. Great and terrible things. It disturbed me to admit that in my greatest victory – the notebook – I had ignored the glaring fact I had completely veered off course from all that L stood for. My triumph had not been without failure.

Great? On the contrary. I scowled into my cup.

"I didn't mean to bring up such a sore subject," Allie said anxiously, her voice low and remorseful. "I'm sorry."

Guilt's a funny thing, I thought wryly. I shook my head, and my ponytail swished with the movement. "Don't be. I was just a little surprised, that's all. Matt, why didn't you tell me?"

Matt tsked. "There's no point dwelling on such rubbish. Let's just… enjoy ourselves today, shall we?" Behind his goggles, his eyes pleaded with mine.

Don't be such a killjoy.

To everyone's astonishment, I lifted up my mug to propose a toast. "You're right, Matt. Cheers," I declared, forcing enthusiasm into my voice, "to how far we've come."

Allie's face broke out into a huge grin of relief as she clinked our cups together. "To this."

"To how far we're gonna go," Matt added, raising his drink to meet ours.

As I swilled the melting marshmallows around in my mouth, I marveled at how deceivingly normal this seemed. We looked like three regular people – friends – just hanging out. No spying, no killing, no running and hiding. Once again, I caught our distorted reflections in the mirrored wall. This time, the sight warmed me up in a way the hot chocolate couldn't.

Little by little, I let my troubles slide away.

We spent the next few hours at Queen's Square Yokohama, much to my delight. Mello was the one who had suggested the Queen's East zone, insisting that it was the best place to go shopping. Once we got there, Matt immediately took off, mumbling about needing a new video game to beat.

"Meet us back here by four," Mello yelled after the fleeing gamer.

Without turning around, Matt flashed us a victory sign.

"So," Mello mused, "how would you like to spend your half, Allie?" He pulled out the massive wad of cash that Matt had provided us earlier. Although I didn't know the details, I had a nagging suspicion that bank accounts across Japan were now short a couple thousand yen. There was exactly a cool two million, which, when converted, was more money than I had ever spent in the last six years.

"What?" I gaped as Mello split the bills evenly. "Shouldn't we… save some of it?"

"Plenty more where this came from. Let's go nuts," Mello drawled, handing me the cash.

"Holy crap," I spluttered, hastily stuffing the stolen money into my wallet. "I'm buying clothes, not the whole mall."

"Then think of it as an early Christmas present," Mello replied, slinging an arm around my shoulders.

I blanched. "Mello," I said stiffly. "These are embezzled funds. I'm not going to – "

"Who said anything about embezzled funds? The money's legitimate." Mello pointed to the nearest shop, which had fashionably dressed mannequins in the store display. "Girls like dresses, right?"

I stared at him incredulously. "So where did Matt get it from?"

"It's ou – his – inheritance."

I noticed his slip. "What did you mean by our?"

"You ask too many questions," Mello complained loudly, but I could tell by the slight smile on his face that he was just teasing. He cast our surroundings a furtive glance, his sharp cerulean eyes darting back and forth like a hawk's. "When L and Wammy died, they left behind a substantial fortune," he explained, lowering his voice. "We each got a share. When I left the orphanage, mine was automatically forfeited to the next in line: Matt."

"Oh," I said, stunned. "I see."

"Do you remember what happened in New York with Demegawa last month? It was on the news."

I racked my brains, and then it suddenly hit me. I recalled watching the video clips of rioting mobs as green bills rained from the sky. It had been utter chaos. "The SPK… they escaped from him using L's inheritance," I breathed.

"That's right," Mello confirmed. "Ten million dollars down the drain."

I winced. "Ouch…"

I grudgingly allowed him to guide me into the ridiculously expensive-looking boutique he'd pointed out earlier. We ended up staying there for one long, fruitless hour. I could hardly bring myself to touch the luxurious silks and shimmering fabrics, but I humored my eager companion and tried on at least ten shirts and five dresses before breaking down.

"This just isn't me," I sighed after coming out of the dressing room for the umpteenth time.

Mello examined me with a critical eye. "Something's missing," he agreed.

"What?" I asked cautiously, crossing my arms across my small chest as discreetly as I could.

"Leather," Mello replied with a wicked grin. "And fur."

I only shook my head in resignation.

We hustled out of the store, leaving behind two irritated and disappointed salespeople, and wandered around for a while, idly chatting. At one point, we passed by an indoor arcade that looked exceptionally packed.

"What's going on?" I inquired curiously, craning my neck around the crowd to catch a glimpse of the attraction.

"There appears to be some sort of commotion inside," Mello said airily. "It's probably Matt."

"Oh?"

We squeezed through the mass of giggling teenagers and envious boyfriends to see Wammy's third best and brightest battling it out on a Dance Dance Revolution game machine.

Sirens wailed and psychedelic, neon colors flashed as Matt's limbs stomped, twisted and turned in time with the upbeat tempo. Dancing right next to him was an extremely lanky Asian with bleached platinum spikes and multiple piercings. His face was bright red as he attempted to keep up with Matt's perfectly-timed moves.

"I'm invincible!" Matt shouted over the pounding music as he spotted me and Mello in the growing crowd. My jaw dropped as I noted the unbroken combo count on his side of the screen. Funnily enough, his character looked exactly like him, save for the woolly vest.

"Oh God," Mello groaned, smacking his forehead. "What's he thinking, drawing all this attention to himself?"

Matt let out a loud whoop when the song finished, signaling the end of the game. Girls all around us tittered in ecstasy as he bounded off the platform, smiling from ear to ear.

"What did you think of that, mates?"

"You're an idiot," Mello retorted as we pushed our way outside.

"He means it in an affectionate way," I added. "Don't you?"

"Good, because I won you this at the shooting gallery…" Matt dangled a plastic keychain in front of Mello's face. It was a miniature chocolate bar.

Mello snatched it from between his fingers. "What the hell am I supposed to do with this?"

"I dunno. I don't recommend eating it, though…"

Mello rolled his eyes and stuck the keychain into his pocket. "So, where are you off to now? We still have to get some clothes."

"Oh. Boring. In that case, I'm gonna head back inside." With that, Matt retreated back into the arcade. I burst out laughing at Mello's disgruntled expression.

Within minutes, we found a Graniph not too far from the gaming center. Mello and I descended on the neat stacks of designer shirts like a pair of frenzied, fashion-starved teenagers. Compared to the previous shop, 2,500 yen per shirt was practically a steal. I also threw in a few leggings and underwear into my pile of purchases.

The total rang up to 35,000 yen. I slowly and hesitantly handed over the cash, painfully aware that I was splurging with L's money.

"It's your money too," Mello informed me after we left Graniph.

I gnawed at the inside of my cheek, mentally vowing not to spend any more of it on unnecessary items for myself.

As we waited for four o'clock to roll around, Allie and I traipsed all over the mall stocking up on different chocolate bars. I was pleased to find most of my favorite Cadbury, Nestle and Hershey brands. When Allie wandered off to look at some jewelry, I bought some Lindt bars as well.

While I was waiting for the younger girl to return, my phone rang. The unexpected sound of my ringtone sent a jolt of alarm running down my spine. I flipped it open. "Matt?"

"Mello, we gotta go, NOW. Someone tried to bypass the security code on my laptop. It's secure, so it had to have been done on site!"

That was the worst thing he could've said.

"Meet us at the Minatomirai Station," I ordered, referring to the terminal directly below us. I snapped my cell shut, just when Allie reappeared, flushed with excitement. She stopped dead in her tracks at my stricken expression.

"Mello? What's wrong?"

"We gotta go," I said curtly, tugging her by the hand. "Someone tried to hack into Matt's computer."

She didn't need to be told twice.

The train ride back was pure agony. Matt was muttering to himself the entire time, nervously wringing his gloved hands, while Allie and I exchanged dark looks, too edgy to even speak. When we finally arrived at the Perin Hotel fifty minutes later, we didn't bother using the elevator. We took the stairs three steps at a time and made it to our room, Suite 1212, in thirty seconds flat.

"Wait," I hissed. I fingered the Do Not Disturb sign that was hanging from the doorknob. Before we left the room that morning, I had made sure to flip it so that the Japanese side was showing. Now it was displaying its English counterpart. "Yeah, someone's been here."

"Shit," Matt swore. "They'd better not have gone through my other stuff."

If it weren't for the seriousness of the situation, I would've laughed at the mental image of a maid pawing through Matt's grenades. "There's only one way to find out," I muttered, nodding at Allie.

Allie stepped forward, swiping the gold cardkey through the reader. As soon as it flashed green, I kicked the door open and barreled straight into the room, with my gun grasped tightly in my right hand as a precaution. I barely had time to register the single silhouette that was hovering by the window when I was instantly thrown off my feet, crashing unceremoniously onto the carpet. The gun flew out of my hand and clattered away into the darkness.

"Ugh!"

I wheezed as a large weight landed on top of me, effectively crushing my windpipe. Both of my arms were yanked over my head and pinned tightly together. I attempted to squeeze my way out from underneath my attacker, but I was completely immobilized. Panic rose in my chest when I realized I was truly and utterly incapacitated.

That had only happened once before – when I was cornered by Soichiro Yagami.

I could hear Matt and Allie rush in and slam the door behind them. "Mello, are you alright?" Allie gasped. There was a quick clapping noise, and the suite was flooded with burning, yellow light.

A soft, disembodied voice came floating toward us from the other side of the room. "Commander Rester, what did I tell you?"

The blood froze in my veins at the sound of the familiar, monotonous drone. I panted for breath when the bulky, blond man released me obediently, lumbering gracefully to his feet. I was too shocked to get back up.

"Stay calm."

Allie murmured quietly into my ear as she helped Matt heave me off the floor, gripping me by my armpits. Damn it. My legs were practically shaking. I straightened my jacket and shot Rester my iciest glare.

"Don't ever touch me again," I seethed, trying to salvage my dignity. I whipped my head toward the window, where my pajama-clad rival was standing motionless. "And you!" I barked. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Good evening to you too, Mello."

I clenched my fists. "Oh, please. My evening has just been ruined, Near."

A/N: MWAHAHAHA. Oh yes, our much-adored Near is back in the picture.

Shout-out: To xYourDearlyBeloved, who was first to review the last chapter. Congrats on finishing your sequel, girl!

Thanks also to all you other awesome alerters/favoriters/readers, and the following reviewers: AnimeGirlZoe, Axel IIX, C. Holywell-Black, Dai Uzimaki, Dani AnneMarie, Dr. Who's There, Echo1317, Escaping Dreams, eternalsnowfox, I Love Bleach, Kira the Wolf, MafiaGirl14, MasaJeevas, -patterns-at-dusk-, Rainbow Rant, ShadowedSerenity, the one who loves pickles, TopGearGirl, Usagi323, VeryWithdrawn, and XxEnvyWrathXx!

You guys are UBER-AWESOME.