Quite frankly, I don't know, nor do I care, about the dates when some things happened. So I made these days when BB left and A committed suicide and such. I have also reread this chapter, and noticed how epically boring my character is. I'll work on that.

Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note.

Italics = thoughts.

"Italics" = speaking German.

Fractures

***

Breathing slowly, B woke up. Slowly. Without moving, she tested out her body, getting used to the unfamiliar surroundings without opening her eyes. A strangled gasp escaped her mouth once she was completely awake. It burns…

She heard someone come closer, and then felt a pressure of someone sitting on the bed she was laying upon. She squirmed slightly, trying to relieve the burning sensation, only achieving more pain. Small whimper sounds escaped her.

Her eyes were squeezed shut. B relaxed immediately upon feeling a large, warm hand brushing her hair away from her eyes.

The door burst open, making a slight, unnatural breeze. "Is she awake?" A rough voice with a German/English accent said quietly.

"Yeah, I think so. Just chill, Mello." Matt's voice said above her. B assumed that he complied, because all she heard were his footsteps coming closer, and then another pressure on the bed on the side Matt wasn't occupying.

"She is awake," an adult, monotone voice said from one side of the room. She felt eyes staring at her, making the burning sensation feel more pronounced. She opened her eyes, blinded for a moment by the bright infirmary light. Adjusting, B looked around. Matt was on her right side, hand still stroking her hair. His goggles were pulled over his eyes, a glare not letting her see them. Mello sat on her left. When he saw her looking at him, he smiled a little, apologetically. She looked towards where L's voice was. B was surprised to see Near sitting beside him, playing quietly with a toy robot. He rubbed at his eyes, leaving the back of his hand a little wet. L watched her looking around, sadness in his eyes.

Agony hit her hard then.

She saw a pile of glass sitting on a small table beside him; some clean, some covered with her blood. They sat beside an untouched piece of strawberry shortcake. L's eyes followed hers, then they both paled. Tears welled in B's eyes, leaving the room blurry. Matt wiped at her eyes, before looking where she and L had currently been staring at.

She stared at the ceiling, toughing up.

"How long have I been here?" She asked, her throat burning slightly along with the rest of her body.

L answered for her, then. "Three and a half days. It is midnight."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Yes, B. I speak German." She smiled a little.

Mello spoke, shakily, "You were in a coma for the first day, from blood loss… If I had been there and not left like a dumbass, Beyond wouldn't have done this to you…"

"No. Do not say that." She said angrily, her smile slipping off her face. He looked like he was about to say more, but she held up one finger, silencing them all. She pulled the blanket off her body, seeing that she was wearing black short shorts and a grey t-shirt. Along with that, she saw multiple stitches on her arms, and some on her legs. Gingerly pulling up her shirt to just underneath her breasts, she saw more stitches, with bruises around them. She attempted to roll over, to see if any damage was done to her back. Some bandages were there… along with Beyond's initials.

By that time, Near had come forward. He and Matt let out soft, strangled gasps at the sight. Mello stayed silent, his eyes wide, but hard. She pulled her shirt down and kicked off the sheet.

B looked at L. He answered her questioning gaze, "I administered the stitches after Watari had cleaned you of blood. Matt had carried you here." She looked at him then. He was looking down, his goggles sitting next to him on the bed, off for once. He played with her hand silently, using it once to wipe away some tears. She looked back at L, encouraging him to go on.

"Actually, you had lost a lot of blood. When Watari and I saw the scars…" He swallowed, then went on. "I'm sorry that he had done this to you. But, on top of this, A has committed suicide two days ago."

His cell phone started ringing at that point, causing him to answer it in the peculiar yet familiar way. "Yes?" His eyes widened a little, before his face went blank. "I see. You have no leads as to where he may be?" He sighed, sounding frustrated before regaining his composure. "Alright. Thank you, Watari." B smiled, waving hi. "B says hello. Yes, she's awake now. Alright." He hung up then.

Everyone looked at him expectantly, except for B, who was attempting to get up to start her hunt for pain medication. Looking back for a moment, she held her hand, intertwined with Matt's, to his face gently before standing unsteadily. Mello held her momentarily, until she could stand on her own.

L's probing eyes watched her every move, before walking out, grabbing Mello's wrist and taking him in tow. She watched them warily until the door swung closed.

***L***

"Mello."

The previously mentioned 16 year old sighed, running a gloved hand through his hair before turning around and looking at L. "What?" He replied tiredly.

"I have a job for you."

***

B scaled the counter, sitting on the countertop. She peeked her face into the cabinet, searching through all the medications and sterilized equipment. A strange sound came from her throat as the stitches were stretched. She froze, toppling backwards just as L opened the door. Mello jumped forward, catching her in his arms and setting her back next to Matt and Near on the bed. He looked back to L, looking exasperated as he nodded in approval.

She stared questioningly at them, the light blonde and raven black greatly contrasting. She attempted to get back up, but stopped, going cold as she saw the fragments of porcelain and glass. Her skin crawled as she looked as it, as she walked towards it. She sat in the chair that L had abandoned, running the her fingers through the sharp edges, going unnoticed as Mello and L schemed and Matt and Near played their games.

She zoned out, contemplating what could happen later in her life. At fourteen, she was more mature than most adults, and couldn't help but be curious…

L's birthday was a few weeks ago… This was supposed to be his present…It was also Beyond's birthday, I believe…She hadn't ever really paid attention to sorts of things like birthdays. She wasn't sure when hers really was. Watari had said it was the thirteenth of November, so she just rolled with it. Go with the flow, and everything will be alright… B slowly slipped into a trance, something she brought upon herself very few times now, because Watari told her she should pay more attention.

"B. B. B! Damnit, B, stop!" Near snapped out. B recoiled back into the chair, and nearly screamed from the pain of the stitches being pulled. This was very out of character for him. She looked down at her hands, avoiding everyone's probing stares, and was surprised with what she saw. Her fingers were dripping blood. How…? Oh. She looked at the glass in confusion, which clarified what had happened.

"Matt, get the bandages." Near said calmly, having quickly regained his composure. Matt jumped at being called out, but complied. He held out the bandages, but took B by the wrist. His goggles were back on, but at his forehead, she noted in a slight daze as he took a needle to pump in the anesthesia. He looked at her in the eye, seeming calm to everyone else, but only she and Mello would be able to detect the sadness in his eyes. Everything swam in her eyes before she slumped forward, her head on Matt's shoulder.

***M***

Matt's eyes widened in surprise as she slumped forward. He slowly pulled the syringe needle out of her arm, putting a bandage over it. He couldn't stand to see her in pain. It was… horrible. And, on top of that, there was something up with Mello. I'll ask L about that, I suppose…

He groaned mentally as L barked out orders in German to Mello. Or, at least he thought he did, as he saw Near's lip twitch upward.

"They're just trying to figure out what to do with her. I think they should put her back in her bed," He murmured, nearly silently after sterilizing and bandaging her hands. Matt nodded in agreement, before picking her up to take her to her room. He left Near to deal with L and Mello, picking up pain medications on the way. Matt prayed to whatever could be out there that they'd give B time.

***

B woke up, the uncomfortable burning sensation back, but much better than before. Not painful, nor particularly persistent, but there. She opened her eyes, smelling that she was away from the antiseptic scents. A different smell, one she hadn't remembered smelling recently, but smelled familiar… comfortable. She made a small noise of contempt before realizing there was another person in the room with her. More specific, in her bed with her. She closed her eyes, relaxing.

She realized that she was wearing her favorite silk nightgown, which barely reached her knees. A warm, muscular arm was thrown across her, with deep, relaxed breathing tickling the back of her neck. She opened her eyes yet again after remembering seeing two pills next to a glass of water. Looking at the small container next to them, she saw that they were her pain medication, then looked at the small clock. 3:47 a.m.. Reaching over, being careful not to jostle whoever was beside her, she took the pills, and then lay back down.

"Mmmph… five more minutes…" He grumbled, still asleep. B laughed quietly. Of course it would be Matt. She curled up—or, as comfortable as she could with the stitches—in his arms, falling back into her medicated slumber.

***M***

Matt rubbed his eyes, stretching out his body on the soft bed. Bright sunlight, filtered by the trees, shined through the window. Where're my goggles…? He thought groggily.

He wore a tight tank top and his boxers, the usual type of thing for him to sleep in. Looking around, Matt observed the familiar surroundings, smelling something sweet beside him. His arm curled protectively, but gently around her. B breathed deeply, still asleep. Looking at her, he saw her completely relaxed face. She looks so young… I wish she was like this all the time. He thought sadly, watching her sleep. He stroked her hair gently, not wanting to wake her up. Hearing her breathing stutter and then return to normal upon that contact, he smiled.

Relaxation.

Something he hadn't experienced in a while.

***

B sat, legs crisscrossed, on the floor, leaning back against Matt's combat boot-clad legs and lightly holding onto Mello's gloved hand. He was tense, waiting for L's news. She held Near's hand in her other, their pale skin the same color. Some patient, some not, they waited for him.

L turned around in his chair slowly, looking B straight in the eyes. A glimmer of sadness reflected in his eyes. He should get antidepressants. And sleeping pills.

"Beyond Birthday has been apprehended. The Los Angeles murder case is now over. Please excuse me…" He murmured as he left the room, most likely to go find Watari, and probably some cake.

Mello's hand relaxed around hers. She looked up at him questioningly, then at Matt. Near sat, stoically as always, making and remaking his puzzle this time. She stared at him until he looked her way. They shared a small look before Mello got up, pulling B with him. Her gave Near a dark look before grabbing Matt and dragging them out of the room, into the hall.

Once she was outside, B gave Mello a dirty look before saying "What the HELL did you do that for?" Of course, he had ignored her. Pulling out a new chocolate bar from his pocket, he started pacing, taking a bite out of it every few steps. "Mello, dude, what's been going on with you lately? You've been going all big brother on B lately." Matt voiced his thoughts cautiously, hoping to avoid an explosion.

Of course, Mello can be predictable.

This wasn't really one of those times.

He grabbed the younger boy by the front of his striped shirt, lifting him off the ground before slamming him into the wall, knocking the air out of Matt. "Why don't you just shut the fuck up for now, Matt?" He growled in his face, before having his feet knocked out from underneath him. Matt and Mello lay on the ground in a heap, both trying to breathe before standing back up. Mello decided to roll over, sitting beside Matt on the ground. B stood up slowly, brushing off her hands on her skinny jeans.

Mello's expression of bewilderment made her shrug, and say "L taught me some capoeira, after Naomi Misora had told him about it." That made both boys stare up at her like she had said she was going to fly away on a rabid pink rhinoceros. "What? You didn't know he was working with her? …Shit!" She said, realizing something and running towards the direction that Roger's office was at. She skidded to a stop, then turned a corner and hid. She heard Matt and Mello's footsteps run past her and into another hall before she turned around.

She began her run again, now realizing where she needed to go.

***L***

A light knocking on his bedroom door distracted him slightly, making him knock over the looming tower of sugar cubes. He sighed mentally, before saying "Come in, B." I figured this would happen, especially after I had told her about Misora. He turned in his chair, facing the door as she slipped in and locked the door warily.

"Mello and Matt are hunting you down again." L murmured. B grinned like the Cheshire cat, remembering the last time this had happened. "Anyway, thank you for breaking up their fight. Nice technique, too." B's face remained expressionless, a habit she had picked up to use when around me, he observed. "Thank you."

L looked at the small monitors, observing the kids walking to class and to lunch. "What is going on with Mello?" She asked bluntly. Without looking towards her, her answered, "I hired him as your bodyguard. He was willing to comply. We do not want you getting hurt. And, as I'm sure you had already guessed, I am going to L.A. to thank Naomi Misora and start the Kira case in Japan. I request that you stop hacking my computer, because I would rather have the top 4 students out of trouble for now." She grinned again.

Slamming and rattling of his door distracted both of them, and they distinctly heard "Get your ass out here, NOW B!" in Mello's rough German/British accent. L heard her laugh quietly as Matt spoke up and said "Sorry, B, L." Mello's voice immediately bit out, "This is L's ROOM?! Why didn't you fucking tell me?!" Well now, this is interesting. B and L burst into gut-busting laughter at the statement, followed by Matt's chuckle and a banging sound that ended it. A calm monotone spoke from the other side of the door, "You know, I'm sure L would like to keep his door. After all, it is quite obvious it is his. His is the only one without any sort of marking on it." All the banter pushed aside, L slouched over to the door, moving graceful in a foreign way.

***

B pushed her shaggy bangs out of her eyes to watch her little family assemble, still missing one person. "Where is Watari?" She asked, curiosity barely hidden.

"He is arranging my flights to Los Angeles and Japan. He will be joining us shortly, right before we pack." He sat back down in his usual crouch, head tilting to the side slightly. "There is a 57% chance that you will not see me again. I hope you all realize this." After a short pause, a much expected outburst occurred. Surprisingly, from Mello, Matt, and Near. B just stared with a blank face to her possible successor, before turning to the boys and holding up her hand. The chaos stopped immediately. Her scars shone eerily in the dark, only lit by computers and monitors. "You have all heard of Kira, no doubt?" They nodded, before Mello burst out saying "How do you know about him? You have hardly been near a computer in the past few weeks!"

She raised an eyebrow at him, before L said, "She has been hacking my computer occasionally. She has been near one enough to do this." She kept a straight face through most of it, her lip twitching upward slightly. "Besides," She continued. "There is not enough evidence to prove that it is a male. Anyway, we should go, so L can pack."

He sighed, his dark shadows under his eyes proving how tired he was. "B is correct. I am sorry." He looked around, meeting dark emerald, icy blue, dark blue and slate grey. "Stay out of trouble, please." A murmured chorus of "we wills" and "no promises" sprang up, before B stood.

"Come on now; say your goodbyes so we can leave him be." She spoke, a smile in her voice. When all the goodbyes were over, B lingered back. L looked at her questioningly, barely stifling a yawn. "Get some sleep," She whispered, kissing him on the cheek and hugging him. "Don't you dare go anywhere without at least 5 hours of sleep. I'll be sure to tell Watari about this, too." She gave the insomniac two sleeping pills. He smiled bemusedly, seeming to realize that he wasn't getting out of this, but enjoying the mothering all the same. He took the pills without complaint. "Be safe," She whispered in his ear before kissing his forehead, ruffling his hair and walking out the door, shutting it quietly behind her.

***

8 hours later, L boarded the plane to L.A., then made his way to Japan. He wasn't seen at Wammy's house for a year, and after that, his quite untimely death arose, leaving the two succeeding boys without many leads, and leaving B very alone at the House.

***

Sorry about the depressing/not so depressing ending. But, it was long, and that was what I was aiming for. We all know that I love to leave semi-long Author's Notes, but alas, my laptop is about to die, so I cannot. Enjoy.