Amber sat in the big red comfy chair tuning out L's lecturing on her midnight break. She was used to getting scolded, but not yelled at. He was practically screaming at her. "Amber, how could you? What if-"
"L, stop it with the 'what if's! I mean I wasn't caught! The only person I ran into was Light and his father."
L's face turned a bright shade of red, damn he was pissed. "You idiot! You're lined up to take over after me, and you do this? You can't be so careless." he sighed and rubbed his temples. "How can I trust you when you pull off stunts like this? How Amber?"
She was near tears at this point. She couldn't tune him out anymore. His face displayed disappointment and betrayal. That's what caused her tears, him showing her how incompetent she was. Amber shook her head vigorously and dug her nails into her palms. "L, I'm sorry. I-I just don't feel like I can fill your position. You're everything I'm not. I'm-I'm sorry for wasting your time." she got up and left the room completely silent.
Matt and Mello were playing video games when she came in. Their disgruntled looks gave way to sympathetic frowns. Her face was red and puffy, her purple hair a complete mess. Matt stopped her as she walked by; he took her arm and said, " Are you alright? We kinda heard everything he said..I'm pretty sure the neighbors heard it too."
She collapsed on Mello's lap, "Why me? Why can't you be L, why do I have to be the example!" she cried.
Mello and Matt exchanged glances. Mello gathered his thoughts and formed, " Amber, you were chosen. You had the brains and the loyalty for this job. You can't just quit now."
Amber smiled, "I know. Thanks for making it clear Mello."
Mello gave a self satisfied sneer at a now entering Near. Near ruffled his hair and slapped Mello over the head with his newest action figure, "Shut it blondie."
"You prat, why I oughta-"
The room became silent. Amber was gone. And l had entered. L looked at the confused looks on their faces and asked, "Where's Amber?"
"She probably-"
"Near where is she?"
Mello looked defeated. He had been written off. Again. Near sat down beside an angry Mello and replied, "Well, I believe she is gone for good now. Good job Mello. You put the idea in her head that she could quit. Again."
"I did not! It's-"
Matt stood up and glared at both of them "We can't bicker! We have to find her, again."
L let out an angry snort, "Why does she do this?"
Near looked down at the floor then back up at L, "I think it's because she doesn't want to become you. She said so herself."
"That's preposterous-"
"Mello shut it. Near, why does she hate me so much? Why can't she do what she's supposed to do?"
Mello stood up and smacked Near's mouth closed, "She doesn't hate you. If anything, she adores you. But she can't take the pressure that the job entails. It's breaking her apart, she hasn't been her normal outgoing self."
L gave Mello a quizzical look then sat down on the floor, "She's afraid of Kira."
Near nodded, "Yes, she's terrified of him. That's why she doesn't want to do this anymore."
L's eyes formed tears that ran down his pale face. He took clasped his hands and stuck them behind his head, "Well, I guess she can go. She doesn't have what I thought she had, which was courage."