AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I do not own death note or the cover art owo

"You both are Near's brothers I presume?" Both boys looked extremely bewildered at this statement but before they could correct the woman, L nodded and replied,

"Yes, and I am their guardian," Both Matt and Mello turned to look at him as if he'd grown a second head. Thankfully, though, they didn't object to anything he said. It had to be some sort of fake story that could justify their interest in his condition. The nurse nodded and then continued with whatever she was going to say.

"Ok, we have managed to stabilize Near's condition. His wounds were nearly fatal, so we've made quite a bit of progress in helping him live through this. He's currently receiving surgery to help mend his broken ribs and this surgery is to last a few more hours. After the surgery, he will most likely be knocked out for a while, meaning that you all should leave for now and then come back tomorrow to see him." The nurse was extremely direct, maybe even a little bit rude, but what she said did seem to make sense. After all, Near wasn't going to recover from days of damage in a matter of minutes anyway. L nodded,

"I understand, we will come back tomorrow," The pale man stated solemnly. He gently grabbed both Mello and Matt's hands and took them outside to where the car was still stationed.

"Wait… L, I-" Mello was quickly interrupted,

"I know." The black-haired man sighed before continuing, "I know you want to stay and be there when he wakes up but you have to understand that being in there, worried sick for hours, is not good for either of you. You need to take care of yourselves as well, which is something both of you have forgotten about because you are too focused on things that you cannot control" L took a breath and then continued his speech, "I'm very proud of all three of you for working your way out of this mess. Now please, I want you to get some rest as well. We'll come back to see Near tomorrow early in the morning before he even wakes up, so don't trouble yourselves about that." Both Matt and Mello reluctantly agreed to leave and come back tomorrow. They knew that L was right. They had forgotten to take care of themselves because they were too worked up about Near. Mello felt like he didn't deserve to look after himself. After all, he was part of the reason that Near suffered more than he could have. He cringed at the self-deprecating thought. I'm not the same anymore though, I'll prove it.

Once they were all seated in the car, neither Mello nor Matt knew exactly where they were headed. After all, the only place they had ever called home couldn't have cared less about what they had been through. Even when they asked L where they were headed, he only replied by saying that they would find out soon enough. He wasn't wrong, because soon enough, they did find out. Both boys peeked out the window once the car had completely stopped moving, only to notice that they were parked in the driveway of a hotel. Oh, that makes more sense now, thought Mello. L was first to get out of the car, and the kids trailed behind him as he made his way inside. He seemed to know the person at the counter, who eagerly offered him the keys almost immediately. Matt and Mello looked around the place in awe. It was so shiny and huge. Everything looked like it was high quality and what was more surprising was how the people there were dressed. They were all wearing fancy clothes, with ties and whatnot. The trio looked kind of out of place here, but L didn't seem to mind one bit, so both Mello and Matt continued following him to wherever he was leading them. He stopped at a door in the hallway and then unlocked it with the keys he had received earlier. The door opened, only to reveal the most lavish looking room that either of the kids had ever seen. It was so huge and open that it looked like it belonged to a super famous actor or model. Not only that, but there were multiple beds here as well.

"I reserved this room especially for us while we were at the hospital." L explained, "you both have your own beds, right over there" L pointed to the twin beds that were right next to each other. They looked really comfy, and it was right about now that Mello realized how exhausted he really was. He hadn't slept in days. L had noticed his exhaustion right away and pointed towards what could only be the bathroom, "both of you, wash up and then go to sleep. I had the staff prepare a change of clothes for you both. The clothes were provided by the hotel, so please understand that they might not be the best fit." Mello didn't mind what type of clothes he was wearing, as long as they were clean and comfy. Matt didn't seem to mind either, he just nodded and walked to the bathroom.

"Mels, you can go first, I insist," Matt said to his friend kindly. Mello shook his head, "no, no it's ok, you can go," L started laughing lightly, causing them both to turn to look at him.

"There's no need for that, there are two full bathrooms in this room," he explained, pointing to the other side of the room, which also had a door. Both boys looked down in embarrassment and then headed into the separate bathrooms glad to finally be able to get clean.

Mello had finished with his shower first, but that was to be expected considering Matt always took longer doing whatever he did in there. Probably trying to swim in the bathtub or something. Mello walked out only to see L was sitting on his bed, with a computer in his lap, typing furiously on the keyboard. He silently walked over and sat next to him, mulling over whether or not he should say something.

"Are you thinking about what happened at the hospital?" L whispered. Mello whipped his head to face L when he realized that the man was talking to him.

"Yeah, I- … you said that Matt, Near and I were brothers, and then followed that up by saying that you were our… guardian. I mean-" L nodded at what he said and then interrupted him before he could continue.

"I understand, I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, it was just an alibi to draw suspicion away from us,"

"No, I wasn't uncomfortable, I- I actually kinda wish things were that way," Mello suddenly explained in a hushed tone. L smiled widely, he looked really happy.

"Do you mean that Mello?" He asked, still grinning. The blonde looked away, starting to feel nervous. He's probably gonna laugh at me.

"I think it would be sick if all of us were bros!" Matt yelled suddenly. Mello jolted from the sudden loudness and then gaped when he realized what he had heard.

"Well I suppose it's settled then," L stated, "I believe I should adopt all three of you" the raven-haired man explained happily. Mello was overwhelmed at how fast everything was moving. first I get kidnapped and now I'm gonna be adopted? What is happening right now?! L realized that Mello seemed to become unusually silent after this statement. The man decidedly placed a comforting hand on the blonde boy's shoulder.

"Mello, I'm not going to force you into this. You can refuse if you would prefer to stay in the orphanage," Mello stared up to L with wide eyes and then spoke nervously,

"No I- this is…" He shook his head to clear his mind, "I'm really happy, I just have no clue how to express it." Both of them laughed at his bluntness. Mello looked at them incredulously, "Hey, what's so funny?" He asked, lightly punching Matt in the shoulder.

"Nothing, it's just, I've never seen you look so dumbfounded before," He explained, still lightly chuckling.

"Well, I hope you enjoyed that while you could, cuz it's not happening again," Mello exclaimed, reaching forward to grab the brunette who immediately ran away.

"Oop, well I guess you're back to normal again," Matt laughed, dodging the slipper that Mello threw at him. L watched in amusement from the sidelines as the two chased each other. They eventually tired eachother out, just as L had suspected they would.

"Alright you two, go to sleep now," Both of them did not protest at this demand, just sluggishly walked over to their own separate beds and fell asleep almost instantly. Mello seemed to be already snoring lightly in his slumber. L sighed, almost in relief. He was glad that they were safe. As bad as whatever they had gone through was, it could have been a lot worse and they could have ended up dead. It's a miracle that they're able to smile and laugh like this after going through so much trauma. L stood up, walking over to the light switch and clicking it off. The darkness of the room was like a blanket, covering them all allowing a comforting sleep for the first time in a while.

Near woke up to a flock of surgeons surrounding him, he instantly felt panicked and attempted to sit up, but they forced him back down onto the table. Then suddenly a wave of pain hit his body, he looked down to see that there were scalpels covered in blood, and a large incision on his stomach. He almost choked on air at the sight, I'm being… operated on...

"Whoever gave him the sedative didn't give him the right one, he isn't supposed to be awake already." A doctor explained, angrily. Near was breathing heavily now, he could feel the wound burning painfully, and the doctors were giving him a stern look as if to shock him into staying still. He couldn't talk because of the oxygen mask or move whatsoever, and so with all these people over him, he couldn't help but feel terrified. "Prepare another sedative quickly!" Yelled the doctor. The nurses were quickly on the move, scurrying away to grab another sedative. Near's heart rate was accelerating now, and the beeps of the heart monitor became more frequent. Even with the help of the oxygen mask he felt like he could hardly breath. I'm panicking… I need to calm down. He knew this, but he couldn't get his mind and body to sync. I want Mello, or Matt… Someone... please. He felt alone and scared. It wasn't as if this was a new feeling to him, but he couldn't stand it. He suddenly felt a prick in his arm causing darkness to envelope him and his mind to go blank.

L hadn't slept the whole night, that wasn't something out of the ordinary for him, but tonight it was for a reason. Not long after both Matt and Mello had managed to fall asleep, he had received a call from the hospital explaining that Near had awoken mid-surgery. This was concerning to say the least, but more angering to know that the surgeons hadn't done their job right. The only reason for him to awaken would be if they hadn't given him an adequate dose of the sedative. The boy had suffered enough trauma and he couldn't imagine how afraid he would be to wake up with people all around operating on him. This news had to be kept from the other kids for now, the amount of worrying they were already doing wasn't healthy, and he wasn't going to play any part in making it worse. The detective glanced at the time, realizing that it was 8 AM. He knew that he should wake the kids up if they wanted to reach the hospital, but they looked so peaceful sleeping that he couldn't bring himself to. Not only this, but he knew that they hadn't been getting enough sleep lately due to everything that had happened. L watched in amusement as Mello rolled over on his bed, and then suddenly fell off. The detective gasped, and then ran over to check on him. The blonde boy groaned and sat up, rubbing his head.

"So… are we… going now?" He asked sluggishly. L nodded, walking over to Matt's bed to wake him, only to realize that he was already awake.

"Yea… Let's go!" Matt yelled, a bit too loud, causing Mello to flinch and then glare at him with annoyance. "Sorry," the brunette said, more quietly this time.

"Alright then, first let's eat breakfast and then we can go…" The detective stated firmly. Both of the boys weren't fond of the idea of wasting any time but when they saw the look on L's face, they knew that he wouldn't make any acceptions. The kids reluctantly agreed.

After breakfast, both boys had eagerly rushed outside and quickly seated themselves inside the lavish long car. Once L was seated, the car began to move. L could tell that the kids seemed to be in a much better mood now, than they were yesterday, and that had to be because they knew that Near was alive. Mello, though, did seem to be a bit nervous, but L had a hunch that it was because he still believed that Near wouldn't forgive him. Well, my comfort here will probably not have any effect. On the contrary, if Near were to forgive him, that would most likely make him feel much better. Either way, they just had to wait until they got to the hospital.

As soon as the building of the hospital came into view, both boys started staring at it, wide-eyed. They were so close to finally seeing if Near was alright, but they knew that whatever he had gone through could have possibly scarred him mentally as well. If that was the case then they both would have to work hard to get Near back to his normal self. After all, phycological damage can't be healed with surgeries or medicines. The car parked into the lot, and L was the first to step out, once again being followed by Matt and Mello. Once they were inside of the building, L went to the front desk to ask what room Near was being kept in. Both kids were next to him, listening for the number she told him.

"Yes… Near is in room 222," she explained kindly. L nodded and thanked her before looking at the map on the wall. Room 222 was upstairs so they would have to either take the elevator or the stairs. They all decided on the stairs because the elevators were always busy, so it would probably take even longer for them to reach the room, as ironic as that may seem. After reaching the top floor, they found that room 222 was conveniently located only a couple of meters away from the stairs. L was the first to open the door, and was slightly disturbed when he saw the amount of tubes transfusing Near some sort of vital liquids. The boy was covered in a white sheet, which made him look even smaller than he black haired man promptly walked over to the bed and glanced at the pale boy's face. He was alive and breathing, but he looked so fragile that the man couldn't help but feel worried. Mello and Matt both seemed to feel the same way because they were both worriedly gazing over the smaller boy. L sighed and pulled up a few chairs from the back of the room and brought them next to the bed. He sat down in the first one in his distinctive fashion and Matt took the second seat. Mello on the other hand, didn't sit down. He was looking strangely pale as he seemed to carefully study Near's face.

Near woke up to a dark room. He looked around recognizing the place instantly. His old bedroom at his parents house. His eyes widened immediately. There was no possible way that he could actually be here, so he concluded that this must be a dream. He glanced at his bedsheets which were ragged and old yet still warmer than anything he remembered feeling. He glanced at the door to his room, noticing it open slowly as a woman he recognized as his mother walked into it. This isn't real… I can't let myself freak out.

"Nate… the sky looks so beautiful tonight… come out to walk with me and papa." Near swallowed thickly. He knew how this story ended, he was living through a full memory after all. There was nothing he could do to change what had already happened, and even in his dream, his body seemed to not take his orders, immediately nodding at the woman's request. If only he had said no that day, things could have ended up different. It didn't matter anyway, what was done was done. His mother gently grabbed his hand and led him outside. The sky really did look beautiful… maybe it was supposed to console him for what was about to happen. It was a silent walk, his parents didn't say anything to him while they took him farther away than he had ever been from their home. He remembered how he had been slightly concerned for what was going on. Near had always been as gullible as he was intelligent. He was easily blinded by people he cared about, and his parents fell in that category. He hadn't suspected they would do anything to him, and perhaps that was a fatal mistake on his part. He didn't question when they arrived at an almost vacant area, only inhabited with a few strange individuals. Two men wearing masks were suddenly approaching them, and Near vaguely recalled the confusion he had felt years ago when this had actually happened. A flash forward and he was now on a train, parents nowhere to be seen. There were other kids on the train as well… they too had been abandoned as he had. Abandoned… it hurt to think that it really was his parents who did that do him. He had always known that his family was struggling financially. There needed to be some sort of a solution to this issue but he had never considered that he would be the solution. Selling me to the black market, it was for a good cause right? It probably was, his mother had been expecting another child, maybe that child could live a better life with the money they made from this… it was selfish to not be happy for that, wasn't it? Even now he was still mulling over he thought. Surely he had to be in the wrong… another flash and he was suddenly being grabbed by a woman who dragged him into her home.

"I paid good money for you, so don't slack off" she grumbled, handing him a mop and a bucket. Just as he had done back then, he nodded calmly and did as she told him… until night came. He remembered the obscene feeling of adrenaline as he ran out of the house not turning back for a second. He had somehow managed to escape. The rope he had been tied with was now messily sawed off. He had cut it off hurriedly while the women had gone to take a shower using a knife in the kitchen. He had carelessly slit himself by accident on multiple occasions as he attempted to get free. The pain was barely there though, he ignored it and ran. Ran and ran until he was at least a mile away from the house. His gasps of breath were more and more frequent and ragged, yet he didn't falter in a single step. It had to be the adrenaline that was keeping him from halting his movements. Whatever it had been, he had reached somewhere he didn't recognize whatsoever. There were glowing signs on top of the many shops scattered around. He remembered this to be the moment where the most painful realization had hit him. He had nowhere to go and no one that would be willing to help him. He probably would have been better off, trapped where he was with that woman. This Is what he had initially thought of course, but that thought was drowned out as he knew now that he had a better place to be. The orphanage was his home now and… and….they had given him up for money as well… there was no other way of looking at it now. There had to be something wrong with him, not the orphanage or his parents. He had managed to drag poor Matt and Mello into his problems as well, and now their only home had rejected them and… it had to be his fault. There was no one else to blame. Mello had to have known this entire time that he was just back luck to be around. That had to be why he would so aggressively express his hate towards him. He really didn't deserve anything…

Something was wrong. Mello could sense it as soon as he walked into the room. Near looked to be peacefully asleep to an outsider's perspective but for some reason Mello had the feeling that his sleep was far from restful. The beeping on his heart monitor was mainly even, yet Mello could see a slight tremble on his lips. A small noise escaped Near causing both Matt and L to stare down at him as well. Near's eyes snap open but they seem to be filled with… guilt? Or maybe it was sadness. Whatever it was, Mello felt a small sense of protectiveness wash over him and gently placed his hand on Near's shoulder. "Hey… are you feeling ok?" He asked quietly. He noticed Near shift his glance from the ceiling to his face and then immediately whisper something.

"M-mello… I'm sorry, this is all my fault…" His voice was barely above a whisper, but with the silence of the room, all three of them could hear what he was saying. Mello gawked at him for a second. Why... is he suddenly apologizing?

"Near… why?" Mello couldn't process what he was hearing. Both Matt and L looked equally puzzled at this. Near seemed to swallow thickly and continue in a low murmur,

"You both… lost your home... because of me. There's something... wrong with me and both of you suffered because of it…"

"Near! What are you talking about?" Mello exclaimed. His voice was louder than it should have been causing the white haired boy on the bed to flinch slightly.

"Nothing's wrong with you Near… how does the orphanage refusing to rescue us have to do with something being wrong with you…? Matt whispered, allowing his voice to take a much softer and calmer tone than Mello had previously responded with. Near tried to push himself up on the bed so that he felt like he could hold some ground to this conversation, but was unable to get even an inch off the bed. This was due to L placing his hand on his shoulder and pushing him down.

"You're not in any state to sit up." The raven haired man stated blatantly. Near spared him a confused glance and his eyes slightly widened when he realized who it was he was looking at.

"L…H-howー"

"Please do not refer to me with that name in public…" Near shrunk back, embarrassed for not remembering something so important. He whispered another apology, a waver in his voice causing Matt and Mello to exchange concerned glances. L frowned slightly, Near wasn't acting like himself. He had every reason to be shaken up considering what he had just recently gone through but right now he seemed to be acting like a different person entirely. Despite this, L felt bad for not speaking more gently to him. He had known these kids since they were brought into the orphanage and Near had been brought at quite a young age. He had never been one to sound so… vulnerable, always maintaining a strong serious appearance. His emotions were normally impossible to read, but he looked visibly upset right now. Why is he completely blaming himself all of a sudden, wondered L. Taking a look at the youngest boy's face, L felt his frown deepen when he realized that Near's face showed exhaustion and he still looked unreasonably pale. It could be the numbing medication that was draining him of his energy. With it, he was probably unaware of how much emotion he was actually letting loose. He might as well not even remember any of this happening if he fell asleep now and woke up later. Either way, all of them seemed equally in the dark about what caused Near's sudden strange behavior.

"I-it has to be me.." Near suddenly whispered. To add to Mello's concern, he seemed to be visibly shaking now. "I don't deserve a home. My parents knew this too." L's eyes suddenly widened and he realized what was going on. When Near was taken into whammy orphanage, the great detective had personally conducted a bit of a background check on the boy to know at least where he came from. He couldn't find too much about him, but was able to tell that his family had been struggling with money for quite some time. When he dug around for more information, he figured out that Near had been sold into some sort of human trafficking system at some point, and by his own parents no less. When he first found out about this, of course he was upset as to how any parent could do that to their own child, but he didn't think too much of it, considering almost all of the wammy kids came from a dark background. They were supposed to be safe as soon as they became part of the system yet unfortunately, as they had just proven, they were not fit to take on that role. They failed to provide these kids with the basic safety that each and every one of them deserved. It was shameful to say that some low life thugs could just swoop in and take all three of L's successors so easily. Shameful as it was, it still didn't compare to how outrageous it was for the kids to go missing and Whammy to not lift a finger to save them. This all pieced together creating the worst possible puzzle. Near… so first, his parents abandon him for money, and when he finds a new home, they too value money over his life. That's why he's forcing himself to believe that this is all his fault. He thinks that if only Mello and Matt were taken, they wouldn't have had to go through the trouble they did, and Whammy would have, no doubt, rescued them. L clenched his fist which rested on top of his knee cap. The fabric of his baggy jeans crumpled a bit from the harsh action. The feeling of anger had never been so strong for L though. He had experienced many outrageous things in his life, but he couldn't stand for something like this. Human lives should have more value. Anyone who dared to take a human life, didn't deserve their own. If the kids hadn't made it out alive, he would have never forgiven Wammy's and despite them living through this, he still didn't feel ready to trust them with any of these kid's safety. They deserved better than this and he would make sure that's what they got.

Matt started at the pale boy in shock. had he just said something about his parents not wanting him because something was 'wrong' with him? There was no possible way that any parent would willingly give away their child, curse those parents. No one deserved that! Matt felt himself almost shake in anger at the thought, and anger was Mello's forte, not his.

"Near, whatever thought about you isn't true!" The brunette yelled suddenly. "Nothing is wrong with you!" Matt didn't want to come off as angry, becaue then Near may have thought that he was angry at him, but he wasn't able to stop the rage from leaking through his voice. It really wasn't like him to get angry, maybe it was this whole situaion that had him out of his mind. Near just silently stared at him for a second with his wide grey eyes, before shaking his head.

"No… If I hadn't been taken with you, you both would have probably been rescue―"

"That's not true…" L suddenly interrupted. "It was a poor decision on Wammy's part to reject the offer those men were making, and it had nothing to do with you." L took a breath and continued. "Frankly I am quite angry at them for what they did, and I don't feel as though I can trust them with the safety of my successors anymore," Near didnt respond, but looked to be surprised at L's words. L had grown up and lived at Wammys since he himself was a child, so for him to say that he lost trust in his own home, was not something to be taken lightly. "I know this is quite sudden for you Near, but I did inform Mello and Matt of this idea before hand," He paused and took a look at the two of them, who both nodded for emphasis. "I believe that I should take all three of you in my legal custody." He stated simply. Near hadn't expected this at all and it was obvious to anyone who cared to spare him a glance. His eyes were wide, lips slightly parted as if he wanted to say something. Matt suddenly patted Near's hair causing him to turn his wide-eyed gaze towards the brunette.

"We could all be brothers Near! Isn't that awesome?" Near looked to be quite overwhelmed from this news. He felt frustrated being forced to lay down and take all of this information rather than being able to properly sit up. He felt like he could not be taken seriously if he said what he wanted to say lying down.

"L, I… I do not deserve that…" He whispered quietly. "Thank you for offering." Both Matt and Mello gaped at the response.

"What are you talking about Near? You definitely deserve it!" Matt explained almost frantically. Near shook his head and opened his mouth to respond but Mello beat him to it.

"Well, since Near isn't staying, I guess I won't either…" The blonde said suddenly. Near abruptly turned his head towards the blonde boy only to realize he was being serious. Why would Mello decline such an important offer, just because of me? He had to be joking right…?

"Oh… I mean yeah, I won't either. It's either all three of us, or none of us," Matt declared proudly. L smiled and nodded, as much as I don't want them to go back there, if Near goes alone, I would be even more concerned…

"No. Please don't miss such a great opportunity just because of me," The white haired boy countered shaking his head lightly.

"Nope. All or none Near. You've gotta choose." Mello proclaimed bluntly. He knew he was probably putting a bit too much pressure on someone who had just barely awoken from surgery, but he was really hoping that Near would say yes. He could tell that Near was feeling a bit overwhelmed from all of the attention directly towards him, but he responded anyway. Nearseemd to shrink even deeper into his bed and then finally let out a small sigh before whispering,

"Alright then, I guess I can't refuse…". Without warning, Matt reajed forward in an attemted hug but was abruptly pulled back by L.

"Be careful Matt. He isn't healed yet, you could hurt him," The black-haired man warned. Matt rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

Near had noticed that Matt and Mello didn't look really surprised, probably because they already had their chance to be shocked at the news prior to Near finding out. The small pale boy didn't say anything for a bit. He just pursed his lips and looked down at his lap, twiddling with the fabric of the blanket. Mello took the opportunity to finally speak his mind. He glanced at Matt and L who both gave him a look of approval.

"Near…" The blonde started getting his attention immediately. Mello is probably about to express his hatred towards me, it's been awhile since he's got the chance to… "I'm sorry for always treating you badly… you didn't deserve any of it," Mello stated genuinely. That was not the response that Near had expected… He didn't even bother to cover up the look of visible surprise that had etched itself into his features.

"Mello, are you ok…?" he whispered suddenly. Matt almost sniggered at the bluntly honest reaction. Mello rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. He could imagine that Near was probably confused at him suddenly apologizing for his mistakes. He himself didn't know what made him realize the wrongness of how he had treated the white-haired boy. I did poison him with a granola bar, that could add to my feeling of guilt and make me want to apologize...

"Near, I'm seriously sorry. You don't have to forgive me, I know I haven't done anything to deserve that but―"

"I forgive you," The reply was so deadpan and quick that Mello almost didn't even realize that Near had meant those words towards him. Both L and Matt gave him a look that Mello translated into being smug. They did tell me that he would forgive easily… but I didn't expect that at all. "There is no point in holding unnecessary grudges when that can all be avoided" Near mumbled quietly, perhaps he had reached his limit with the energy he had. Mello saw the pale boy's lips move slightly again but whatever he was saying was too quiet to hear.

"Get some rest Near," L advised lightly, pulling up the pale sheet up to Near's chin as he quietly dozed off.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Sorry for the late update;-; The next chapter chapter will be the last, and I will have it out within the week most likely. this chapter is extra long to make up for the delay...