L's gaze jerked from Mello's shocked and apologetic expression to Raito's stunned face.

"What?" Raito stammered, the word was barely audible. L watched the boy visibly pale.

"Are you sure?" Misa piped up. Her shaking voice was a note too high in the fear and shock that L knew she was feeling. "Maybe you're reading it wrong."

"No," Mello shook his head. His voice was lower than normal. It was clear he didn't want to say what he knew he had to; L had been in this position many times before but had hoped that it would be years before the blonde had to know what it felt like. "I don't know how I understand how to read it. But I do, and I'm right."

"No," L heard his own voice rebound in the small room. "That may be what you see, but that doesn't mean we can't stop it."

"L, it's okay. I—"

"Raito Yagami, if you dare say that this is 'okay' I will kick you in the face again," L's tone was sharp. He spoke the words the shrewd way one would slap someone they cared about. Raito's eyes winded at the outburst, but he said nothing.

"I'm sorry," L took a breath. He was scaring Raito when he should be soothing him. "I didn't mean to snap at you, but I'm not going to let you die."

Raito nodded. His eyes locked onto L's, and L was pleased to see a flicker of hope in them. He was going to save that spark.

"This just means that we'll have to act faster than I thought," L walked to the coffee table and picked up a file. He handed it to Mello before addressing the boy. "This includes pictures of twenty potential victims. Choose three who aren't going to die anytime soon and, once you get back to your room, tell your roommate that the three are going to be killed tomorrow night."

"Got it, boss." Mello nodded, knowing it was better not to ask questions until he was sure L was done giving instructions.

"Raito-kun," L turned back to the teen. "I want you to stay with Misa and Rem for the next two days. Misa, make sure he doesn't leave your apartment."

"I will," she assured him. She looked calmer now.

"And where will you be while I'm hiding in safety?" Raito asked in a tense tone.

"Mello and I are going to apprehend Beyond," L stated. "I'll call the school as L and tell them to quietly evacuate the three boys and their roommates. Once I'm sure they're far from the campus, I will personally place cameras in all three rooms. Tomorrow night Mello and I will stake out the room of the first victim."

"You're going to catch him on your own?" Raito bore an expression of completely justifiable worry.

"We will be armed," L added, knowing full well that piece of information would to little to stop the boy's anxiety. "And I think you know how strong I can be when I want to."

Raito blushed and L smiled inwardly.

"You three should go," he said. "We want Mello to return before his roommate goes to sleep."

"That's an encounter that I'm not looking forward to," Mello muttered, but headed to the door. L felt sorry for him.

"Could you give us a minute?" Raito asked Misa, he had only moved to turn his head in her direction.

"Sure," Misa nodded. L saw a tight smile appear on her lips, she glanced at him before looking back to Raito. "We'll just wait outside."

As soon as the door closed Raito flew across the distance between him and L. He engulfed the detective in an embrace so tight it was painful, but neither of them complained. L let his eyes close as he breathed Raito in. He refused to let himself acknowledge that this could be the last time the two of them saw each other.

"I thought I told you to warn me next time you did this?" L said fondly.

"Sorry." He could hear Raito's smirk. "Maybe I will next time."

L rested his head on Raito's shoulder. He could hear Raito's heart beating, and moved one of his hands to cover that spot on the boy's chest. L felt it's rhythm, which at that moment was more beautiful and melodic than any song he had ever heard.

"Thank you," Raito's voice was barely audible. "For trying to save me."

"I'm not letting you go that easily," L replied, he tried to make his tone lighter, but felt the weight of his words.

"But," Raito hesitated, his hand closed around the hand resting on his chest. "If I do die, I think it was worth it."

"Nothing is worth your life, Raito-kun," L said solemnly.

"Justice is," Raito disagreed. "Working with you is."

"Please don't say that," L whispered. He couldn't bare the thought of Raito dying for him. Dying himself would be easier than living with the blood of his only friend on his hands.

"Why?" Raito pulled back to see L's face but kept his arms around him. "It's true. You're worth it."

"Raito—"

L wanted to tell the boy that he wasn't. He wanted to make Raito listen to this and accept it. But Raito cut off L's protest by pulling him into a kiss. This one was not like the others before it. L could feel Raito shaking as he clung to him, and knew that he was no better off himself. L knew that Raito wasn't going to let him argue or talk much on what they were getting themselves into, so he tried to channel his thoughts and feelings into the movement. It was clear that Raito was doing the same, for L could feel the teen's longing in his mouth and hands.

Again he felt the world around slipping away as his mind filled with the desire to be as close to Raito as he could. Only now this desperation was driven by fear not longing. L wanted to pulled Raito close and never let him go, because he knew that the boy was safe as long as his arms were around him.

When he was young, and more opened to the possibility of the supernatural, L had wondered what it would be like to cheat death. A year or so of being L had knocked this fantasy out of him. He knew the horrors of the world, and didn't think it would be fair for him to carry their weight longer than his time permitted. Now, however, L knew he would do all that he could to cheat Raito's designated death.

"Your friend is waiting outside," L reminded the both of them when they finally pulled their lips away from each other.

"Yeah," Raito's head fit into the crook of L's neck, and L pulled him into a tight hug. "You know, I can't leave if you don't let go."

"Of course I know," L laughed, but didn't feel the least bit happy. "I don't want you to leave."

"Good," Raito smiled as he pulled away. "I'll see you when it's all over."

"Yes," L made his voice certain.

"And then I'll give you warning before I kiss you."

Matt wasn't one for self disgust. Sure, there were plenty of times in his short life where he recognized that what he was doing was wrong. Yet, in all of these situations he had convinced himself that he was doing the wrong thing for the right reason. In the end, he knew that those around him would hate him, but he had never cared before.

Right now, Matt didn't believe he was in the wrong. Still, he knew that Michael, or should he say Mello, was going to hate him once he found out the truth. Knowing Mello, he would eventually figure it all out. Matt had held onto the hope that everything would be over once that day came. He could live with his own shame, he could burry that the way he always did, but seeing it reflected in eyes of others was a nuisance. He knew that if the eyes belonged to Mello it would only make the feeling worse. No, it would make the feeling tangible. That he knew he would not be able to stand.

"Hey," Matt greeted the object of his thoughts as Mello entered the room. "That was long."

"I'm failing Physics," Mello told him stiffly.

Lie. Matt grinned inwardly for recognizing it. Although, Mello usually was not this obvious. His smugness evaporated. Something was wrong.

"There's something else too," Mello said in a nervous tone. Matt couldn't register if this was genuine or not, but given the cold air Mello was in today, Matt was leaning towards the former.

"Yeah?" He asked nonchalantly.

"It's about the case," Mello added.

"What about it?" Matt made himself look more alert. "Do you know who the next victims will be?"

"Yeah," Mello nodded.

Matt listened to him list off three names, and tried to mentally put faces to them.

"When do you think he'll kill them?" Matt didn't fully expect an answer.

"Tomorrow," Mello's voice was grave.

"Really?" Matt's surprise was genuine.

"He's been increasing it rapidly," Mello tried to explain himself. "I don't think it's a real pattern, but because of that I think he'd want it to be as quick as possible."

There had to be more to this reasoning. What wasn't Mello telling him? Did Matt's roommate no longer trust him? Was that why he was acting so stiff? Matt considered the possibility that Mello had put two and two together in the time between their classes and now. It was unlikely, considering he hadn't done anything recently that should have tipped the blonde off.

"Are you going to tell the school?" Matt asked, referring to the future deaths.

"I don't know," Mello sat down on his bed, he rested his head on his hands.

"What aren't you telling me?" Matt bluntly asked.

"Nothing," Mello looked up in surprise. "That's all I know."

"You're not…" Realization dawned on Matt. "You're not going to try to confront the killer, are you?"

"What? No, of course not." Mello stammered a little too quickly.

So that's what you're hiding. You foolish, rash boy.

"You're going to die," Matt stated.

"I'm not going to do anything reckless," Mello ran a hand through his hair. Matt didn't know why the blonde's outburst came out a note flat. "I think I'm going to tell the police."

"Really?" Matt did not believe a word of this. "When?"

"Tomorrow night," Mello's eyes did not meet his. "Half an hour before I think it will happen. That way they'll get there in time to both stop and catch him."

"I'll come with you," Matt tested.

"No," Mello's voice was level. "If you're out of this room, even if you're with me, I'm just going to worry about you. He killed Ms. Seto because she was onto him, there's a chance that could happen to us."

"And you'd rather it just happen to you?" He didn't have to act defensive, he was surprised that Mello still saw him as someone who had to be isolated from all danger.

"Yes." Now Mello looked up at him. The stare caught him off guard, not because of the intensity but because Matt could read through that and see what was behind it. There was nothing. "If I die please let me know that you're safe."

"You're going to be fine," Matt pretended to relent. "But I won't leave this room if that's what you want."

"Thank you."

Matt nodded. In his mind he was already planning what he would have to do once Mello was asleep. Tomorrow everything was going to end, wether he or Mello were ready for it or not.

Mello threw his book bag onto the bed next to him. He was slightly worried that he was going to throw up. The anger and betrayal inside of him had boiled into a sick feeling. This tugged at his gut, but he refused to show any of it. If he could leave the room now, he would, but he didn't want Matt to think that anything was wrong.

Planning to catch the killer was a solid reason for him to be anxious, but he knew the second that he showed the slightest sine of hostility toward his "friend" it was game over. This almost made him laugh darkly. Now Matt's love of video games felt ironic.

"I think I'm going to go to sleep," Matt informed him. Mello realized that the boy's full attention was still on him.

"Can I show you something?" Mello suddenly asked, forcing a smile that tasted like metal on his face.

"Sure," Matt looked more than a little apprehensive. "Unless it's weird and I'm better off not knowing."

"I refuse to be held accountable for your definition of weird," Mello joked. This also tasted wrong, but it sounded alright to him.

"Now I think I probably am better of knowing," Matt laughed. It hurt Mello's ears. "But curiosity killed the cat."

"Meow," Mello deadpanned.

He reached into his book bag and retrieved his sketch book. As he flipped through the pages, he turned the face so that Matt couldn't see the drawings. When he found the picture he was looking for, he handed the book to Matt.

"Is this me?" The redhead gaped.

"No, it's some random person who just happens to have the exact same face stature, clothes, and hair as you do." Sarcasm was easier to fake. This didn't come as much of a surprise to Mello, and he was glad that he made use of the attitude enough for Matt not to question him.

"This is amazing," a smile spread across Matt's face. Mello was reminded of the sick feeling in his gut.

"Thanks," he muttered. "Although you technically just complimented yourself, considering it's a picture of you."

"Oh, I'm an amazing thing to draw, but you're a far more amazing artist," Matt told him. Mello couldn't hear a false note in this.

"Now I feel a little less bad for not asking your permission before using you as a model," Mello tried to laugh and it didn't work. Luckily Matt was too busy marveling at the picture to notice.

"Why didn't you ask?" Matt wondered. "It's kind of creepy to draw me without me knowing you are."

"It's creepy to draw you in the first place," Mello corrected. "It would have been worse if you asked me not to and I drew you anyway, which I probably would have."

"Yeah," Matt grinned. "Sometimes I think you don't care at all about how the people around you feel."

"Maybe I don't," Mello's voice dropped as these words escaped his mouth.

"Are you okay?" Matt looked at him now.

"Fine," Mello shrugged. "Well, not fine. You know…"

"Yeah," Matt's eyes now found the floor. "Could I keep this?"

"No," Mello surprised himself by answering so quickly. "I want it for after we both leave Lowood."

"That'll be in a while," Matt's voice was light again. "Unless you're not planning to graduate here."

"I don't know what I'm planning," Mello shrugged, before adding a lie. "My parents will probably pull me out when the killer is caught."

"That makes sense," Matt nodded. "Come to think of it, mine might as well."

"I have the feeling Lowood's student body is about to decrease," Mello continued. "Some of the staff might leave as well, after what happened to Ms. Seto is made public."

"We're going to say goodbye sooner than I thought," Matt's voice was near mournful. Mello didn't want to look at the boy's face, but he couldn't tear his eyes away. He knew what he was seeing was a lie, but he could feel himself being sucked in despite this.

"That's why I want the picture," for the first time Mello's words didn't feel wrong. "For when all of this is over."

"We'll still keep in touch, right?" Matt's tone was creeping away from sorrow.

Mello reminded himself that, if everything when according to Beyond and Matt's plan, he would be dead. The fact that he could now see when Matt was destined to die—could see that Matt wasn't even his real name—felt like a bad joke. Mello decided to hang onto the thought that the redhead would spend these years in a jail cell of assisting Beyond.

"Of course," Mello replied.

"Good," Matt smiled at him. "Because I'm going to miss you."

You better.

"They should have check in with us an hour ago," Raito paced back and forth in Misa's living room. He could feel the anxiety building up inside of him, and didn't want to imagine what he must look like to the girl and shinigami watching him.

"Didn't Ryuzaki say it might take longer?" Misa reminded him, her eyes following his movement from her spot on the couch. "You know, when he called you before they started the stake out and told you not to freak out."

"Something is wrong," he muttered more to himself than to her.

"You see, this is what he meant by 'freak out'," Misa told him, her voice a dry exasperation.

"This is too easy," he seethed in frustration, ignoring her rationality.

"Don't complain," she scolded. "Would you rather Michael and Ryuzaki be in danger right now?"

"That's not what I mean," he groaned, then stopped abruptly and pivoted to face her. "What did you just say?"

"I said don't complain," she answered, giving him an annoyed expression.

"No," he shook his head to order his thoughts. "I mean after that. You said that Michael and Ryuzaki might be in danger."

"Actually I said—"

"That's it!" Raito cut her off loudly. "That's what's missing."

"I'm not following," she informed him.

"This whole time we were acting like Ryuzaki was the target," he spoke through his thoughts more for his own benefit than hers. She wouldn't understand this, but he needed to make sure what he was thinking made sense before he did anything.

"We never questioned Beyond Birthday's motive," he could hear how frantic his own voice was, but didn't have the surplus energy to care. "When that's the most suspicious element of this case. Beyond Birthday never tried to kill L directly because he knew he wouldn't be able to. He may be more bent on revenge after being locked in an asylum for two years, but why would that make him think that he could achieve what is beyond his skill level?"

"Are you actually asking me?" Misa deadpanned, she knew full well that he was not.

"He wants to spite L," Raito realized. "He's always wanted to spite L, because he knows he can't directly hurt him. So how do you hurt someone you'll never be able to touch?"

"You hurt the people closest to them," Misa understood this part. "Wouldn't he come after you then?"

"No," Raito shook his head, at this moment he was completely safe. "He doesn't know about me, no one does. But he would know about L's successors; being a former one himself he would know a lot about them. That must be why he kept this case low profile. He wanted to attract the attention of Wammy's House, but not L himself."

"You're saying that—"

"Mello is the target," Raito finished. This was the only thing that made sense. He looked back at Misa as dread filled him. "I need to warn them. Now."

"You can't," she stood up from her seat. "We're supposed to stay here. That's what you told Ryuzaki you would do."

"Where'd you hide your death note pages?" he asked, mentally dismissing what she had pointed out. He had promised L that he's stay in the safety of Misa's apartment, but that was before he realized the danger that both L and Mello were in. If either were in his shoes, they would do exactly the same.

"I'm not going to tell you," she crossed her arms. "Ryuzaki said that the only way to save you was to keep you here."

"I'm going wether you help me or not," Raito walked past her and into her bedroom.

"Raito!"

He began opening her dresser drawers, stopping at the one where she kept her underwear. He pulled this drawer out fully, and retrieved the two sheets of paper at the back of it. Quickly he folded up the pages, stuffed them into his pants pocket, and grabbed a ballpoint pen from her dresser.

"You couldn't come up with a more creative hiding spot?" He didn't expect an answer as he stalked back through the living room and in the direction of the exit.

"Stop it!" Misa screamed, darting in front of him and planting herself in between him and the door.

"Misa." He knew he could force her out of his way if he had to, but he didn't like that idea. Not to mention he was more than a little afraid that Rem might kill him if he tried anything violent with Misa. Maybe he could convince her to let him go. "I'm not going to stand by an do nothing."

"And I'm not going to let you walk to your death!" she shouted, tears in her eyes. "You'll die if you go! Don't you understand that?"

He wasn't going to consider how correct she probably was. Not that doing so would make much of a difference. Raito knew he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he stayed to the side and let both L and Mello get hurt when his knowledge might be able to save them.

Misa wouldn't see this, for she saw that keeping Raito there was the only thing she could do to protect him. At this rate talking her into letting him go would take all night, and he needed to get to L and Mello as soon as possible. That left only one option.

"I'm sorry," he really was.

"I don't—"

He didn't let her finish that sentence. In a swift motion, Raito placed his right hand on her chin and smashed their lips together. He felt her freeze in shock (similar to how L had the day before) and took that opportunity to spin the both of them around so that his back was now to the door. He quickly released her and darted to the door, opening it and bolting down the hall.

"Raito!" He heard her shout behind him, but knew that she would not be able to catch up.

Raito knew kissing her was a cold and manipulative move, but she hadn't left him any other options.

He ran down the hallway and into the dark street. He calculated that it would take at least half an hour to reach the school if he didn't slow his pace. Silently, he prayed that he would make it in time.

Raito was so concentrated on getting to Lowood and figuring out what he would do once he arrived, that he didn't notice the dark figure behind him until a blow to his head threw him to the ground. He felt his exposed arm skid on the sidewalk, and winced in pain. He didn't have time to noticed that the glass of his wrist watch was cracked open. Not knowing if the hit had been meant to knock him out, Raito tried to scramble to his feet. Before he could right himself, he was being straddled by a man with dark hair and a pale complexion. For a second Raito saw L in the man's face, but there was a clear difference between the two of them. L's dark eyes were soft but guarded, but this man had a crazed and thirsty look in his. It was this look that told Raito who his attacker was.

Beyond Birthday clasped Raito's throat in his hands and began to apply pressure. Raito remembered being told by his father that if someone was ever trying to choke him he should poke their eyes. His arms were becoming heavier and heavier, but he desperately flailed them at the face of the man on top of him. When he discovered that his trembling hands couldn't reach past Beyond Birthday's shoulders, he instead tried to push the man off of him. His struggles did nothing but incite a shrill laugh from his attacker. Raito could feel his breath being squeezed out of him, it burned more than he would have ever imagined.

Unable to fight anymore, Raito let his arms fall to his sides and gave into the looming darkness.

So...who hates me?

Reviews:

Bluxpudding, technically you were right. Originally this and the next chapter were going to be combined. Then I added the Mello segment and a bit to the other chapter and decided that 10k was a bit too long for one chap.

Callicanios, I'm glad you thought the last chapter was a whirlwind, that was what I was going for. Haha, maybe rattling his brain isn't the best idea.

Cyinamas, well I'm happy that I broke your heart in an unexpected way (and I mean that in the nicest way possible). No, they really don't have any luck.

Blazedoll, I wish I had a better answer for you on Mello being able to use the eyes right away, but this was one of the parts where I took some liberty with the cannon. As my sixth-grade English teacher once told me, "I have the pen" (well, keyboard) therefore I have the power to manipulate what I feel the need to for the purpose of plot and drama.

Guest, yes, for all Watari knows at the moment, L is still in America.

Guest, thanks for the review!

Rice Waffles, I'm glad you liked the choice I made with Matt and thought the ending of the last chapter was suspenseful!