Well, it's as I said. This is my last chapter for this story, but there's two epilogues after. One from L's POV and the other from Matt's, then Mello's.

And there WILL be a sequell.

Warnings: Shinigami! Psycho B. Ten-Year-Old Mello. Marcus Antonius the Psychodiary, othwewise known as 'Ant.' Swearing.

Disclaimer: No owns.

Quick-Quote: "I'm not your fuckin' slave," he said, his voice distinctively American in accent, before taking another bite of apple. Alpha could barely hide a grin at this – the Shinigami wasn't going to do anything for B, even if the little psycho did get him apples.

AAAANNNNNTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hath been bloody forever. Didja miss me, buddy? I missed you! In case you couldn't tell by the spine-breaking hug I gave you earlier. Yeah. Sorry bout that. Awwwkkwarrd.

Lots to catch up on, though. I'm 20 bloody years old now, still at the Wammy's house, still afraid for my life of who is now a little thirteen year old. Mello's ten now, still hyper and chocolate addicted as ever. Remember how I told him he had to wait until he was 10 before he could start swearing? Yeah. He fucking remembered. Zippidy do dah to me.

Oh, right. Yeah, I stole you back from Karen. I'm just that slick XD L forgave me for not saying goodbye to him, he'd have been a bit callous not to have forgiven me. Pretty unfortunate for me how much I adore that damn llama. He's just finished working some case somewhere, no idea what it's about, but it doesn't seem anything's taken him more than a few months to solve lately, so whatever. He'll be back by tomorrow, supposedly. I've got my own case to worry about here.

I recently heard B refer to Akino as a 'Shinigami.' This being me we're talking about, I had to look it up. Just had to. And, a Shinigami is basically a Death God. Rumors say they kill with a notebook. Maybe B picked up a notebook and all that? Still doesn't explain how he can see peoples' names and times of death, but whatever. I don't care. I'm done living in fear. I'm going to talk to him today. I'm practically working Roger's old job. I have the right to walk up to his door, knock on it, and kick it in and go "whatchoo doin, foo'??!?!?!" Not quite in that context, but you get what I'm sayin. Of course, I haven't talked to you for ages now, so I can't blame you if you don't get it.

Whatever. I'm off, anyway. I seriously need to find that jam eating vampire. I'm starting to agree with Mello on that. I think he's a vampire.

Talk to ya later, paper buddy. I could be leaving the orphanage soon, but I swear I'll bring you with me if I do.

––

Alpha yawned as she set down her notebook. Getting her notebook back had been a tedious effort. She had to tear appart Karen's office, and then put it back together so she wouldn't realize anything was missing. Besides which, it was raining. The rain seemed to be bringing down a monotonous atmosphere from the sky itself, making the day itself seem tiring. Sleep, however, or even rest, wasn't an option. For how long had she put off confronting that little bastard? Four years. She was afraid of someone seven years younger than her. That was just ridiculous of her, and she needed to get the hell over it. If anything, he knew she had been listening to his conversations with Akino, which was probably why he had used the word Shinigami. That was probably it.

So, Alpha stood from her bed, a new (yet false) hope implanted into her mind. She walked slowly to her own door and down the hall a little ways. She could hear his voice growing louder as she approached, louder and louder – his door was open and he was sitting on his bed with a jar of jam, as always.

"Akino, could you please be quiet? I don't care if I'm not the boss of you – just be quiet, I just gave you an apple, what else could you possibly want? I'm not getting you another, you're still eating that one!" Alpha was sure she heard a crunch! noise issue from the room. "I know it's almost gone. I don't care. I'm busy, I actually have homework."

She moved to the very front of the doorframe and saw it. An apple was floating in midair, apparently eating itself. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped.

"What's that?" B asked absently, flipping through pages of a textbook. He then stopped what he was doing and looked up sharply. Then, with a glare at the apple, he said, "why didn't you close the door this time?"

Alpha, attempting to regain her calm, leaned against the doorframe. "I already know," she said, "so there's really no point in blaming it on the Shinigami." B looked somewhat shocked at this. "If you would have talked a little more quietly, I wouldn't have known anything," she said. "Now, where is it?" It was a long shot, but it might work.

"Where's what?" he asked suspiciously.

"You know what," she said. "The thing that binds the Shinigami to you. I know you have it, and I know it's how you killed A. I know it's how you're planning to kill me."

They looked at each other for a moment. Alpha found it hard to look at B, just considering his eyes, the way they seemed to almost be on fire, but she managed to keep calm… even though she was bluffing. There was a possibility it was a notebook, like she had read, but what were really the chances of that? It was hard to believe a person could kill with a notebook. It was also hard to believe an apple was eating itself right in front of her, so she supposed she couldn't consider anything to be completely impossible.

She managed to keep her eyes narrowed determinedly. Finally, after what felt like hours but had really only been a minute, Beyond reached under the edge of his bed and pulled out a notebook. He flipped it open and took a pen in his hand. As the pen had just touched the paper and wrote something, Alpha rushed forward and grabbed the book from him to look at it – she breathed a sigh of relief at seeing he had only written half of her first name. However, she thought she might die of a heart attack anyway when she looked up and saw what had been eating that apple.

It looked like it might have been human at one point in time, but its body had decomposed on its right side to nothing but bone. In the eye socket of its bone side glowed a red light, like some sort of spiritual eye. There was a wing built of bone on this side, but the bone was black and bent behind it to apparently save space. The other side of his body – or she assumed it was a 'he' – looked at least somewhat humanoid. While his face was a light, light gray in color and his lips held a strange purplish tint like a person who had been sick for quite a while, he was humanoid. He had an eye on this side that was entirely red, even where his whites should have been, with a black pupil in the middle, and dark black hair that looked neatly cut on only the left side – there was just bone on the other. He had a wing on his right side as well, one that looked like an angel's wing dyed black. Over all of this, he wore a tattered trench coat with a strange looking jester-like costume beneath, and long black boots. In his remaining ear was a dangling earring with a large, silver skull at its end, transposed onto a silver cross painted black.

"So now you know who Akino is," said B, sounding angry. "And you have my notebook. I see you've done your homework. Akino," said B, "kill her."

"I'm not your fuckin' slave," he said, his voice distinctively American in accent, before taking another bite of apple. Alpha could barely hide a grin at this – the Shinigami wasn't going to do anything for B, even if the little psycho did get him apples. "I'm just here because you picked up my spare notebook. I'd have never carried an extra if I'd known I had to stick with whatever human picked up the damn thing…" he added in a grumble.

Alpha laughed, waving the notebook at him. "Now I've got your weapon and you can't do a bloody thing about it."

"You really think so?" Alpha furrowed her brow. "Then you should sleep with one eye open tonight, I guess." He picked up his math book again after returning his voice back to its regular stoic, L-like tones. "There's no point in you staying here. Go on and leave."

Alpha did leave, and not at all reluctantly. Sleep with one eye open… was he going to try to kill her by some other means as she slept? No, that would have been insane. He was insane enough, but he was also smart enough not to kill anyone in a way that would leave behind any evidence that could truly be used against him. All she had on him was a notebook… and a demonic apple-addict, but she wasn't about to let anyone touch it – except for maybe one person.

L was coming to visit tomorrow. After Mello finished questioning him about how the case went and what it was about, she could talk to him, couldn't she? He would be able to help her find some way to prove it. If she could just make it through tonight, everything would be all right. Everything would work out fine, she could get B to be kicked out of Wammy's and she could stay with Mello for a little while longer. If she left now, he wouldn't be expecting it and he'd be devastated. She supposed, more than anything, she looked at him almost like a son these days. She was ten years older than him, she had taken care of him and taught him everything she could… albeit some things – such as swearing and chocolate addiction – weren't so splendiferous, but it all accounted for something, didn't it? He looked at her more like a sister, but she held him in regards as her own child lately. She couldn't say why, but that's how it had turned out.

Yes, Alpha had to make it until tomorrow. That's all there was to it, she needed to hold out for long enough to get a little bit of help from L, the only person who could help her. She could only hope he wouldn't die of surprise at the sight of Akino as she almost did, but if she could get help…. She needed to stay.

Alpha rushed to her room, and froze in the doorway when she saw Mello sitting on her bed. She could only thank whatever God was watching over her that he hadn't decided to invade her privacy and read her psychodiary. He pointed at the notebook she was holding and spoke through a mouthful of chocolate: "Whuff that?"

"Nothing," she said dismissively, stuffing it between the frame of her bed and the mattress. "You didn't read that, did you?" she added, pointing at her own journal as she sat on the edge of the bed. He shook his head no and swallowed.

"I'm almost out of chocolate, I just needed to stock up." He held up a few bars, one of which was open.

"Eating your stores isn't going to do you much good," said Alpha, laughing as she grabbed up her notebook and also stuffed it between her mattress and her bed frame. "What're you still doing sitting on my bed, then?"

"I didn't feel like playing Mortal Combat again," he said. "I'm in hiding. Don't see why he doesn't just play it with that girl that's been following him around for the past year."

"Linda?" Mello nodded. "She's nice enough, just a bit on the girly side. I'm betting she hates videogames. Not many girls like them anyway, so I don't guess it would be very surprising if she didn't."

"I don't like them much either," said Mello distastefully. "I have to fuckin' hear about them all day, it gets old."

"Language!"

"I'm ten."

"I don't care, you're still not bloody old enough to be doing that…"

"Am too."

"Still don't think you are," said Alpha with a sigh.

"Yeah," said Mello, hopping off the bed with the stolen chocolate. "I think I'll go back to my room, can't get nagged at there for swearing."

"Unless I follow you."

"Dammit."

"Language."

"Maldicion."

"Smart ass," Alpha muttered.

"Language!"

"Hijo inteligente!"

"Whatever."

"Don't you whatever me!"

Mello shut the door behind him, and Alpha stood to walk to the door after he left. She locked it and lay down on her bed, hoping that would at least remotely hold B out for a while. Mello not questioning her as to why she locked her door anymore made things quite a bit easier on her. She didn't have to worry as much about him finding out just how afraid she was of Beyond Birthday.

I can't wait.

I'm sorry, I just can't. I don't know who I'm apologizing to. Mello, definitely. And L. And Matt. And Near, as Mello might kill you when I'm gone. And Watari, for everything your orphanage did for me. There must be a God, or I'd have never found my way here to redeem myself by taking care of Mello. B's outside my door, and he's been standing there for an hour. I'm sneaking out my window. I'm burying the "Death Note," as the thing says on its front cover. I'll burry it next to an apple tree, the one right by my window. I've already got it in a plastic bag in an old jewelry box of some kind I nicked off Roger a while back. I'll make sure that the grass goes back over top of it in whole pieces so Beyond won't ever find it. I also nicked some rope out of the garden shed in case it ever came down to this, so it's tied to my bed now, to the leg, securely enough so it won't come loose.

I just can't stay anymore. I'm scared for my bloody life. It might be raining outside, but I'll leave now if it'll take me away from Beyond. I don't care. I've got to pack you up now. I've got to go.

––

Alpha shot a quick look at the door and saw a shadow of feet underneath it still. She had heard and could still hear Akino talking to Beyond Birthday, so she knew it was him out there. She tossed the rope out her window and, while she wasn't one for climbing, she was about to do just that. She zipped up some clothes and a few other things in her bag, along with her journal and the box with the notebook in it. She then dropped those out the window and watched them fall, the rain wetting her hair as she hung her head out the window. She then took a hold of the rope and, not knowing what to expect, ended up sliding down it slowly enough to land safely, but quickly enough to burn her hands horribly.

Alpha picked up her bag and hurried to the garden shed a few feet away, just on the corner of the property, to get out a shovel. She carried the shovel over to the tree and dug. She carefully placed the grassy layer of topsoil behind her to lay down last, then continued digging at a much faster pace. She unzipped her bag quickly, retrieved the box, and dropped it in the hole once it was deep enough, and stood to shovel the dirt back into the hole. She carefully laid the grass back down and patted it down with the shovel to avoid it looking suspicious. She then tossed the shovel back in the direction of the garden shed without bothering to put it back all the way. She hurried around to the front, to the driveway leading up to the front of the orphanage and moved quickly for the gates.

Then she heard it.

"Oi! Where in the bloody hell are you going!"

The voice had yelled from close behind her, and she stopped and winced. She dropped her bag and turned around to be faced with a blond-haired midget. She should have expected it; he had most likely heard the commotion outside from his room and saw her. There was no doubt he would have come out to see what was going on. She couldn't tell if he looked more confused or hurt. Alpha pinched the bridge of her nose before kneeling down and looking at the child seriously.

"I know I've been avoiding telling you everything," she said. "B is out to kill me. I mean literally, he is mad. He won't hurt anyone as long as he remains L's successor, but he saw me as a threat since I was older than him. He stood outside my door for an hour tonight, and I just can't take it anymore. He might be seven years younger than me, but I'd still rather not live every day of my life thinking about dying."

"B – but – you didn't say you were going to leave – you could stay until tomorrow and see if L can help and –"

"I can't. There's no doubt that kid can pick locks, so locking my door wouldn't even help. And I don't have any proof, I just know, Mello, that wouldn't be enough for Watari, much less Roger." She sighed and looked down at the ground. "I've got to leave."

"W-w-well, can't I come with you, then??"

"That's not possible. It would be kidnapping then, and the only place I have left to go isn't any place for a ten-year-old. I'm going to stay with a member of my old street gang, and if not, I'll be living on the streets. I'd be endangering your life if I let you come with me. You knew I'd end up leaving one day, Mello."

"You can't."

"Either I leave or I get killed in my sleep. I'm sure we'll see each other again. But… you do deserve to know…"

"What?"

"What've your dreams been like lately?"

Mello tilted his head to the side in puppy-like confusion, his nose looking a bit redder than usual. Was Mello, the terror of all terrors, the one person who probably could have scared Beyond Birthday into exile on one of his bad days, crying? Good way to make Alpha feel like shit, but she had to keep focused. He was ten now, he was old enough to know the truth. His eyes finally widened in realization. "I've only had a couple about Mum and Dad over the past month," he said, now looking at his feet.

"Roger was lying." He looked back up, his eyes widening. "I know you were having those dreams because your subconscious mind was trying to tell you what really happened. I think they were right next to your apartment building at the time…. They were killed by a gang member. One that was in the same one as me and my brother. We were both there. I tried to do something and he reached back and slashed me across the face with the knife he had, hence why you heard someone telling him off for 'hurting his sister.' That was my brother. The same brother," she said, taking the rosary around her neck in one hand and holding it up a little, "who gave me this right before he died." She could feel her own eyes stinging, but she could blame it on the rain if any tears spilled over. "I think you had the dream because you heard what happened, since I think the apartment they had parked next to was the one they were living at, so you were probably there with a babysitter or something. I didn't want to tell you anything until I left. You can decide whether or not to blame it on me now."

Now he looked more confused. "It's not your f-f-fault…" He sniffed loudly. It was hard to believe – she hadn't seen the kid cry for six years. "You said you tried to d-do something. Isn't that where that scar came from?"

"Yeah…" she said. "I just don't think I tried hard enough…. You wouldn't have ever had to know what this place was if I had."

"B-but then I wouldn't've m-met you or L or Matt or anyone."

Alpha smiled. "You might've been better off it you hadn't met me," she said. "I've probably corrupted you for the rest of your life."

At least he laughed at that. That was all she could have asked for. "Here," she said, pulling off her rosary. "This way, if we don't see each other again," she continued, handing it to him, "you'll always remember me."

He sniffed and took the necklace. "That's so cliché…"

And that made her laugh. "All right, mini-me," she said. "Then take all the chocolate I left under my bed as well before Roger gets his hands on it." She grinned, and he did the same, half-heartedly, before hugging her.

"You're still a complete ass for leaving," he said.

"Yeah, love you too, kid," she said.

"Oh," she added as she was standing back up, "if I ever catch wind that you've joined a gang," she said, kneeling back down for a moment, "then you'd better run for the hills." She patted him on the shoulder. "Now get back inside before you catch pneumonia, I won't be blamed for you getting sick if they find me."

He laughed a little as she stood back up, but she heard a quiet and reluctant, "Bye…" as she turned. She looked back over her shoulder.

"Don't be so upset, we'll see each other again," she assured him. "And don't kill Near, either. It won't be as satisfying as the idea sounds in your head, trust me. Now, don't say goodbye. You'd do better saying 'see ya.' It's not quite as pessimistic."

"Then see you later," he said, looking down at the beaded rosary she had handed him a minute ago.

"See ya."

She hurried off quickly, doing the best she could not to look behind her, where she was sure Mello was still standing and looking after her as she tossed her bag over the high gates and climbed up them herself. She was sure he was still standing there in the rain, sure to get a terrible case of pneumonia if he stood there any longer. She couldn't look back. If she looked back, she would want to stay, and she couldn't stay. She couldn't stay at that place the rest of her life, she couldn't stay there living in fear of death. She had to leave now, or she would be stuck there forever.

It was the best thing for her, and was the best thing for Mello. She knew he'd be better off at this point if she was gone. But she also knew that – regardless the situation, regardless of how long from now – they would meet again.

She finally managed to look back when she jumped down to the other side of the gates and landed on all fours (not very gracefully). Mello was just going back into the orphanage, without a single glance back. So, also without looking back, she turned, picked up her bags, and set off down the road on the other side of the gates, bound for wherever her screwed up life was going to take her now.

Well, like I said, there will be a sequel, so please don't kill me yet :(

I'm posting the first epilogue along with this one so you have something else to read. It's not long, but it's still something.