A/N:

Oh...what is this? An update? From me?! Shocking, I know. But, you'll all be happy to know that I have officially finished my planning for this story and will be updating until it's finished! Well, if anyone is even still interested. It has been awhile, after all. So...sorry about that? This is a short chapter just to move the story along but it's pretty important. I hope you all enjoy! Oh, and all the previous chapters have been edited! You'll probably reread them anyway but if you didn't, I recommend that you do so.

Mello woke the next morning to Near standing by his bedside. "What the he-"

"Kyosuke Higuchi is dead," Near informed him, cutting the older boy off.

The short sentence made the words die in Mello's throat. He stared at the younger boy with wide eyes, trying to comprehend what he had just been told. Higuchi couldn't be dead. He was at the top of the suspect list. If their theories were correct, he was one of the few that would remember the Death Note. He had been missing since the day Mello had woken back in this time.

"Wh- how?" Mello finally snapped out, moving off of the bed and getting on his feet quickly.

Well, he tried to anyway.

Instead his legs tangled in his blanket and he somehow found himself slamming onto the floor, his left leg still tangled in the blanket on the bed. "Shit!" he cursed loudly as he struggled with the blanket. He finally managed to get himself untangled and moved to get on his feet. He heard a muffled giggle beside him and looked over to see Near's hand over his mouth as his shoulders shook. Mello almost grinned himself when he saw the amusement dancing in those gray eyes.

"Mello should be more careful," Near said as he pulled his hand away from his mouth, his lips still twitching.

"I'll keep that in mind," Mello countered with a small grin on his own. A grin that quickly faded when the words from Near resurfaced. "Wait, what happened to Kyosuke Higuchi? Was it Kira?"

Near's expression sobered and the light faded from his eyes. "It has been ruled as a suicide. L has decided to take a closer look at the details."

Mello growled and moved past the younger boy into the main room. "Even if it was a suicide it could have easily been Kira. The Death Note can control the person's actions-"

"We are aware," L cut in. "Thank you for the reminder. Matt is currently pulling up the case file."

Mello forced himself not to scowl at the words. Right. He was still getting used to the fact that both L and Near were regaining more and more information each day. L seemed to be growing more impatient as time went on. Mello was pretty sure that the memories were forcing him to realize just how serious the situation had been. Or maybe that was just Mello's imagination. But it felt that way. Things between him and Near seemed to change on a day to day basis. On some days, the relationship he and Near had formed this lifetime would be completely normal. On others, Near seemed to want to be as far away from him as he could.

He knew that it was because of the dreams. He wasn't sure what Near saw on those nights but they always seemed to affect him for a few days before he turned back to normal. Mello couldn't say he blamed him.

"Got it!" Matt called out as he printed the file. "Mells, your copy is there." He pointed toward the printer. Mello rolled his eyes. The only reason Matt had pointed it out was because he didn't want Mello to read over his shoulder. As usual.

Mello grabbed the printed file and instantly moved toward Near. Near once again seemed to be working on the dice city he had begun to build a few days before. So far, there were multiple buildings and a bridge. Some of the toy robots and puppets made up the citizens. Near was currently building yet another building, this one taller than the others. He sat crossed legged beside the boy and had to fight back a smile as Near instinctively leaned against his side. Mello shifted to place his arm behind him, almost around Near's back, so the boy was resting against his chest and shoulder. Mello used his other hand to hold the printed documents and tilted it just slightly so the younger boy would be able to read it as well.

"It does seem to point to a suicide," Matt commented. "There was a note that matched his handwriting. He jumped off a building where there were witnesses."

"Yes," L agreed as he bit his thumb. "But the real question is if he did it of his own violation or if he did so because of the Death Note." He turned in his chair to face the three boys. "Search Kyosuke Higuchi's whereabouts for the past two weeks. See if there were any indications of suicidal ideation."

So that's what they did. Hours of research, tracking Kyosuke Higuchi's phone records, his travel arrangements, even the places he had eaten. Light joined them about an hour into the research and even Mello had been convinced by the shocked expression that crossed the older boys face when he was told of the unexpected death. He had instantly joined in on the research. But even with all of them working, they couldn't find any conclusive evidence one way or the other. "Kyosuke Higuchi was extremely arrogant," Mello muttered. "I can't see him killing himself. Even if he did remember the Death Note…I would think he would try to find it again, not feel guilty about what he had done."

"I agree with Mello," Near answered, his back vibrating with his words. Mello swallowed hard as his throat went dry. "I do believe that Kira is involved. But why would Kira kill him?"

"Because Kira remembers him," Mello answered. He closed his eyes as the answer came to him. There wasn't any doubt in his mind. All of the evidence pointed toward one direction.

The current Kira remembered the previous timeline.

"Maybe Misa is dead as well," Light spoke for the first time in hours. "Maybe we just haven't found her body yet. It would explain why we haven't been able to locate her."

"I doubt it," Mello hissed.

"It is a possibility," L agreed, "Though we do not know for sure. We should keep the theory in mind but until we find Misa's body I do not feel comfortable making such a conclusion."

"I still think that Misa Amane is our main suspect," Mello protested as he sat up fully. Near whined in protest and Mello unthinkingly placed his hand on the younger boys head and stroked his hair to calm him. "Out of every person we know of-"

"Not this again," Light snapped, throwing his hands up in the air in irritation. "Misa has nothing to do with it!"

"Mello. Light. Please do not have this argument. It is growing tiring," L commented as he continued to stare at his computer screen. "Kyosuke Higuchi is our main priority at the moment. Please regain your focus."

Mello's left hand clenched. Of course. Of course Light would once again argue with him about Misa. Of course L would side with Light. Well, not side exactly. But he hadn't stood up for Mello. Wasn't Mello supposed to be one of his successors? Shouldn't he have-

Mello glanced down in surprise as something lightly touched his clenched hand. Another hand was there. One that was smaller than his own and much paler. Mello could only watch with wide eyes as that hand slowly moved to force his fingers open one by one before it slipped into the open space. Palm to palm. And then it closed around his own and Mello felt his heart stop.

Maybe this weird feeling wasn't just because they were in such close quarters.

How was he going to deal with that?