Chapter thirteen:

"Are you alright?" Near asks. "You suddenly started to whimper in your sleep. I didn't know what else to do but to wake you."

Mello looks to Near who is looking a little worried. He sits up using his hand behind himself to support himself mainly on one hand. "Yeah. Just a nightmare." He says turning to look in the direction of his own lap as he brings a hand up so his finger tips are on his forehead area.

Near blinks then nods. "Alright. Well it was just a dream." He says. "Maybe this will help. The food is ready."

Mello lowers his hand to his lap and finally notices the delicious smell in the air. He smiles a little at it as his stomach let's Mello silently know it wants to eat whatever is making that good smell. "Mm. Near it smells delicious." He says.

Near smiles. "Thanks. Now come on. Let's eat."

Mello nods and gets up.

The two talk as they eat the yummy food, while still being polite like not talking with food in your mouth, until they are full and it is all gone.

It was quite good Mello must admit.

Actually it was probably one of the best things he has ever eaten.

Now the two are laying on their backs looking up at the sky resting after their meal.

They are laying almost as if they stood their backs would be facing but instead their hands are at an angle so their hands are a little close but still there is a gap between them.

"You're quite the cook." Mello sighs satisfied.

"I'm sure you'd be a good cook too." Near says.

Mello chuckles. "I may be smart but that doesn't mean I'd be able to cook."

"I guess we'll have to find out next time." Near says tilting his head slightly to the side Mello is closest on but doesn't actually move.

Mello smiles and stares at the sky. "Maybe." He says.

Near turns back to the sky and goes silent.

The silence passes for about two minutes before Mello starts to worry sensing something might be wrong.

"Near?" The blonde asks worriedly as he sits up.

Near seems to snap back to reality then he too sits up. He gives a small assuring look to Mello. "I'm ok."

Mello frowns obviously not believing him.

Near glances away. "I was just thinking to myself."

Mello raises an eyebrow slightly. "About what?" He asks.

Near sighs softly almost in a sad that almost makes Mello take back his question as he worries he shouldn't have snooped then the mostly albino boy speaks. "I was just thinking about the time in my past when I learned just how dangerous lab explosions can be." He begins then he raises a hand to twirl his hair.

Mello watches him and listens.

Near continues after a few seconds or so. "My dad was doing an experiment with his workers. They were trying to make a strong power from a special darkness passed down to each generation in my family as protectors of it. He was hoping to make it useful." He sighs softly then continues a half a second or so after. "My mother died of illness when I was three years old so all I had left was my father. I was only about six years old when it happened. I went to find him and just I got into the lab saying father to get his attention…. Things were going down badly….. Then an explosion happened with no one even having time to try to run." He lowers his head so his chin is to his chest and his hand slips from his hair falling to hang by his side. "I lost everything I cared for that day." He brings his hand he had been twirling his hair with to take out a necklace he's wearing around his neck.

It's a single rectangle charm on a just right sized chain. The charm is a navy blue jewel that isn't small or too big but just right and it slightly seems to glimmer in the light.

Near stares sadly at it.

Mello puts a comforting arm around the other and brings him closer. "I'm sorry." He says.

Near leans into Mello and lets go of his necklace. "It's not your fault." He says.

"But still I'm sorry even so." Mello says. "I probably shouldn't have snooped."

"It's ok." Near says. "I actually feel a little better now." He admits.

This makes Mello smile. "Good." He says. "Well now. I guess it's only fair."

Near looks questioningly at Mello letting his charm fall to his chest.

"I should tell you my past as well." Mello says.

Near opens his mouth to say that Mello doesn't have to but Mello puts a finger on Near's lips closing them.

"It's ok." Mello says in an almost soft tone.

Near blinks flickering his eyes to Mello's finger then back up to Mello as Mello removes his finger.

"When I was young my dad didn't really like me all that much and he walked out on us as he well found out my mom had dated another guy for a bit but he left her when she became pregnant with my half-brother who is older. My mom fell apart at that even though I was for sure his son my dad told me I was another man's trash before he left. He told me I was probably some fifty year old man's whore's child. I didn't let it bother me but I hated my half-brother as he was a whore. As my dad called him following in our mothers footsteps. Mom became depressed and we ended up in a falling apart home that really could be barely called a home. She tried her best to take care of us even though she would usually spend hours crying when she thought me or my half-brother wouldn't know. Then one day when she was told to get anti-depressants she went to do so. She got hit on by a man there but rejected him. He got angry and instead of giving her what she needed he added some poison to the pills. She died that way and L caught the man. Turns out every time someone who he hits on rejects him and have prescriptions he adds poison to them to kill them. My half-brother ran off and my dad rejected taking custody for me saying I was no son of his so after I showed how smart I was that's when I was sent to Whammys. I was maybe only eight or so at the time." Mello explains.

"Wow that must have sucked." Near says as he had been watching Mello and listening the whole time.

Mello shrugs. "It doesn't bother me." He admits.

There's a roar in the distance that makes them both turn in the direction they think they heard it come from.

"We should probably get moving." Mello says.

Near nods. "Yeah."

And so they make sure they have everything and that the fire is out before they begin walking away from where they heard the roar hoping to not run into any beasts.

Else where…

Allen and Matt have decided on a way to go and they are now walking side by side looking around themselves trying to find something, anything to help them.

"Is this all a lost cause?" Matt begins to wonder as he brings a hand up to slightly on the back of his head.

Allen glances to Matt. "Hey come on. Don't just give up." He says. "Not now and not ever." He slightly shakes his head to emphasize his point.

Matt looks to Allen then the two share a smile. He lowers his hand down to his side and nods. "Ok." He agrees.

They continue walking as they idly chit chat while they walk trying to figure out where they are and if they can find Mello and or Near.

Matt brings his arms to slightly crossed behind his head in a relaxed position as he finds the silence comforting. He glances to the side and notices a shadow that makes him stop and half way put his arms down.

The shadow seems tall on the wall of the alley as it moves as if peering around something almost like it's looking at them then it turns and jogs away disappearing deeper into the alley way.

Allen stops and turns back to Matt as he notices the other stopped.

Matt blinks then with his arms fully at his sides only to raise them to jog he heads after the shadow.

"Hey wait!" Allen calls out reaching towards the red head. He slightly brings his hand back to him only to sigh then follow after Matt. "What's gotten into him?" He wonders to himself as he follows Matt seeing him turn corners just as Allen himself turns the earlier corner. "Hey! Matt!" He calls out to the other as they continue running.

AN:

And done for this chapter.

Merry Christmas!

Thank you my wonderful reviewers who I hope will continue to review.

Reviews bring cookies and flamers will be used to cook the cookies.

Mello.