Mello was dreaming of darkness. He was just floating, his body gone once again. He wanted to scream but he didn't have any vocal cords. He was screaming in his mind, just screaming constantly. Was this a dream or had he imagined that he wasn't in this place anymore? Had he really been brought back to be with Matt, L, and Near again?

Or had the darkness finally found a new way of torturing him? Giving him a bit of his old life before snatching it away yet again?

And then he was being pulled from the darkness and into the land of the living.

He had never appreciated another person as much as he did right then.

"Mello. Mello. Mello. Mello-"

"What is it, Near?" the blonde asked, shifting his body slightly to avoid the finger Near was shoving into his ribs each time he said his name. It might not have been so bad if the white-haired boy hadn't been hitting the same damn spot every time.

"Light knew Mello's name. How?"

"What?" Near looked at him impatiently and Mello struggled to get his brain to function after just waking up – and the nightmare he just experienced.

Nightmare. Right. That was a nightmare. This was real. Not that.

"Mello was killed with the Death Note. Light knew Mello's name. How?"

Mello stared up at Near from where he was still lying on the bed he was sharing with Matt. "I have no idea. I guess one of his followers that made the eye deal told him."

"But who?" Near demanded, a bit louder than usual. Matt snored loudly from beside Mello. Mello rolled his eyes and rammed his elbow into Matt's side. Matt woke with a loud yell, rolling away and falling right off the bed. Mello snorted.

"What was that for?!" Matt demanded, pulling himself into a sitting position and glaring at Mello sleepily. Mello snorted again at the red hair that was currently defying gravity and the red mark on the side of Matt's face. "Why the hell are we awake?"

"Mello is going to tell us everything he remembers from the moment he left Wammy's to the moment he died."

Mello's eyes snapped toward Near once more. "Near, I've gone over this-"

"But none of it explains how Light knew Mello's name. So Mello will go over it again."

Mello let out an irritated sigh. He twisted around and opened the bedside drawer, where he was keeping his stash of chocolate bars. He grabbed one and unwrapped it, snapping off a corner between his teeth. "Fine. I don't think it will do any good, but fine."

Near climbed onto the bed, bending his knees and pressing them to his chest. He placed his chin on his knees and watched Mello with analyzing eyes. Mello sighed once again and began to speak as Matt moved from the floor. He told them about getting called into Roger's office. He described how he and Near were shown all the information that had been sent to Roger when L and Wammy were killed. He went through his leaving the orphanage once more and carefully kept his eyes away from both Near and Matt as he did so. He knew they were both still disappointed in him for that decision. He almost wished he could go back to a time when he didn't care what they thought but he knew that time was well gone.

If it had ever truly existed at all.

His voice was monotone and detached as he spoke about his time with the Mafia. How he rose in the ranks. How he convinced them to kidnap Sayu. How he received the Death Note and used it against Near's team. He spoke of the warehouse. Waking up in the ruble with painful and infected burns on his body. Calling Matt.

He pointedly ignored the snort and muttering from his side about not calling him sooner.

He was going to continue his story when he noticed the frown on Near's face. "What?" Mello couldn't help but ask. There was this look in Near's eyes, a look that Mello had seen before. It was one where Mello could actually see the white-haired boy putting various pieces together in his mind, like he was completing one of his puzzles. Near didn't answer. Mello shifted impatiently but Matt caught his eye and shook his head. Mello let out a deep breath and bit off another section of his chocolate bar. Matt's mouth twitched and he pulled his video game out from under his pillow and flipped it on. Mello sent him a glare but Matt just moved his body so Mello wouldn't be able to snatch the game from his hand if he decided to do so.

"Yagami-san," Near finally muttered.

"What?" Matt asked, glancing up from the video game. "What about him?"

"I believe that Yagami-san made the eye deal before the incident at the warehouse. He then gave Light the information regarding Mello's name." Near's eyes focused in on Mello. "If Yagami-san made the deal, it would be logical to believe that he remembers the Death Note and the events that led up to his death."

"And Light didn't tell us. Again," Matt sighed, throwing himself backward on the bed and turning to burry his face in the pillow. "I still say I'm not telling L."

"I don't care who tells L," Mello snarled, his hand tightening around his chocolate bar. "If Light's father made the stupid deal, he would have known that his son was Kira. Why the hell hasn't he stepped forward or said anything?"

"I cannot answer that question," Near frowned, shaking his head slightly. "I do not remember being acquainted with Yagami-san but I do know that he stood by Light throughout L's investigation. Mello said that Light is charming. I agree. He is able to manipulate the people around him. It is possible that Light has convinced his father to remain silent."

"Bastard," Mello muttered, reaching into the drawer and grabbing another chocolate bar.

"He could just be trying to protect him," Matt pointed out helpfully. "I mean, Light is his son. Don't parents do that?"

"How would we know?" Mello questioned, as he finished unwrapping his bar. "Mine sure as hell didn't."

"I must agree with Mello."

"Right," Matt grimaced. "Right. Well, I mean, some of them would do anything to protect their children." At Mello's disbelieving look, Matt shrugged. "What? I read it!"

'Maybe in a fairytale."

"Shut up, Mells."

"If Mello and Matt are finished," Near cut in, his usual monotone betraying exasperation and slight amusement. "We should decide what our next action will be."

Unfortunately, they didn't get very far into their planning before the alert Matt had sent up on their suspects went off on his laptop. The three boys looked at each other for a second before Matt scrambled off of his bed and to the device. Mello watched as his friend seemed to freeze for a moment. "Matt? What is it?"

"Mikami Teru's body was found. The police have ruled it a suicide."