Chapter 6

His hands shook as he stared at the book in front of him. His mind was rapidly trying analyze what was happening, and while Near usually can think straight under pressure, his fright was so severe he couldn't even put one coherent thought together.

He knew there was a possibility that the book wasn't real, yet there was an equal possibility that it was. Despite whether it was a fake or not, it had to have gotten there on his living room floor somehow. He wanted to get up and look around the apartment for signs of someone having been there while they were gone but he simply couldn't move. He was frozen in that position on the floor, wondering what dying was going to feel like. He didn't even hear Matt unlock the door and enter the apartment.

"Near what are you doing over there?" Matt asked.

Near didn't reply, but looked up at Matt with desperate eyes. Matt had never seen such a look on Near's face before and immediately dropped the shopping bag onto the kitchen counter as he quickly made his way over and knelt down beside him. It was still dark in that part of the room, with only the scattered light from the kitchen illuminating them, and while Matt could see Near was holding a book, he couldn't see exactly what it was until the pulled the book from Near's shaking hands and moved over into the light to see it better.

He wrinkled his nose in confusion. He hadn't actually ever seen a Death Note before, and only heard about it through Mello.

"Matt, open it." Near said with a quivering voice.

Matt opened the book and looked at the writing on the first page. He felt the color drain from his face and Near knew that Matt understood what was happening when Matt slowly checked his watch. Matt swallowed before opening his mouth, not sure what to even say.

"Umm.... Is this.. Is this thing even real?" Matt said as he turned the book over and examined every corner, not even sure what he was looking for.

"I don't know Matt. I can't tell. It looks so similar to the ones that I've seen. I just don't know. Matt, I might be dead in 3 hours."

Matt dropped the book on the floor and stood up. He started pacing around the room frantically and pulling at his hair, running throughout the apartment looking for a sign of forced entry somewhere, hoping there would be some kind of logical explanation. He found nothing that would suggest someone had broken into their apartment

"What are we going to do? I can't.. I can't believe this is happening! Who would do this to you?"

"Matt please calm down."

"I can't calm down! Not only if you've got only 3 hours left to live! We don't even know if it's real! Maybe it isn't? Or maybe it is? How can we tell? I don't... I cant..."

"Matt calm down! Come here and hold me! Please!" Near shouted. Matt halted and knelt down next to Near again, pulling him tightly into his arms. "Matt, I'm scared. I'm so scared. I don't want to die. Not after my life has become as wonderful as you've made it. I'm so scared."

"I'm scared too Near. I cant lose you. I don't know what I'll do with myself after you.... Look, maybe it's all a hoax. We should call Roger."

"What is Roger going to do? There's not enough time for an investigation. Logically, we should wait it out to see what happens, as absurd as that sounds."

Matt got up and flooded the room with light as he flicked the switch on the wall. He picked up the book from the floor and examined the handwriting. It was in pencil, and very neat.

"Can't we just erase it?"

"It's not that simple Matt. Once it's written, that's it, it's committed."

"Can't we write something like 'the person who wrote the previous entry will call this apartment and tell us who he is'?"

"It doesn't work like that. We would need to know what he looks like and his name."

"Wait a second. How does this person know your name? Your real name."

Near placed his face in the palm of his hand before sliding it up and through his hair.

"I don't know Matt. I've been a bit less careful lately. Out of necessity really. You cant sign a lease on an apartment using just the name 'Near' for example. Things like that. God I'm so stupid."

Matt approached Near and offered his hand to help him get up from the floor. Near reluctantly took it and stood up. Near wrapped his arms around Matt and pulled their bodies together, burying his face in Matt's chest.

"We should call Roger. We should let him know what's going on."

"Nn." Near said in agreement.

He started to feel whoosy. This was a bit too much for him to handle. While he normally would be halfway down the path of solving this case using the limited information he already had, all he could think of is the idea of being dead in less than 3 hours and having to wait for it. He'd rather it happen all of the sudden than have to deal with this arduous torture.

"I need to sit down."

Matt led him over to the sofa where he sat down and closed his eyes, trying to calm his mind down so it would be at least somewhat useful.

Matt called Roger and explained the situation, and as Near requested, Matt asked that Roger would not come over. If it truly were the end, then Near would rather be with Matt alone. Roger told Matt that he would look into the matter, trying to find out any information he could, but he knew that it would be pointless. All they had was a notebook and a few scrawled words, and so for the next two and half hours, Near and Matt sat on the couch and embraced each other, saying their I love you's and goodbyes with tears flooding down their cheeks.

"Matt what time is it?" Near asked.

"11:59."

Near gasped and tensed up, grabbing a hold of Matt's arm and squeezing tightly. He had hoped that it wouldn't be painful. He had seen people in their death throws after becoming victim to the Death Note's default cause of death firsthand, and it didn't look pleasant in the slightest. Matt looked downwards at his watch again and shut his eyes. It was 12:00, Near could tell by his reaction.

Near could feel his face flood with heat and sweat building up on his forehead rapidly. Breathing became difficult, almost impossible as he felt his chest painfully tighten up. Nearly all the muscles in his torso seared with painful tension, and then he felt his heart banging away erratically. Near suddenly clasped a hand firmly around Matt's arm, a movement that took quite a bit of effort because it seemed like he was frozen, like all of his muscles were seizing at once. Matt could tell by Near's widened eyes and gaped open mouth that all his fears were becoming reality.

"Oh god it's happening. Near! Please! Please don't die!" Matt cried out as he pulled Near's rigid body into his chest, holding him tightly, "I love you so much. Oh god why is this happening! Please! I can't lose him!"

Matt gritted his teeth and held Near tightly against his own body until he felt Near's body go limp. He shut his eyes tightly as tears poured down his cheeks and screamed openly and gutturally before sobbing onto Near's head which was still pressed against his own chest. Matt's sobs were so strong that he couldn't feel Near breathing against him.

"Matt... Matt, I'm ok. " Near said, muffled against Matt's shirt.

Matt suddenly stopped with a gasp and released his grip on Near, holding him at arm's length and examining him in disbelief. Near was breathing heavily and sweaty, but very much alive.

"What happened? Are you ok?"

"The book is a fake."

"Then what the hell just happened to you?" Matt cried out.

"I don't know. I think it was purely psychological. I feel perfectly fine right now, although a bit shaken up. Believe me if it was real, I'd be dead right now."

Matt pulled Near into an embrace again and exhaled slowly with relief, the last of his tears falling into Near's hair.

"Who would do this to you?"

"I don't know Matt but I need to lay down. I'm exhausted right now."

Matt led Near to the bed and folded the covers back so he could get in before tucking him into bed gently. Near yawned before making one last request.

"Matt, could you please take the notebook to Roger right away so he can have it analyzed? I want to start the investigation immediately."

"Near are you sure you're ok?"

"I'm fine, just let me sleep."

"Ok, I'll be back in a little while."

Matt kissed Near on the forehead before putting the notebook under his arm and walking out of the door, locking it behind him.

Near wasn't sure how long he'd been asleep or if he had slept much at all. While he was mentally and physically exhausted, some part of his mind had difficulty turning off due to what had just happened. He heard feet shuffling on the carpet, but it was too dark to make out Matt's figure.

"Did you see Roger?" Near asked sleepily with his face half smooshed into the pillow.

Near had drifted asleep again only seconds later when he felt his head being lifted up by his hair and something being placed over it. It felt like a plastic bag. Near quickly tried to sit up in bed, not sure what was going on when he felt his arms being pinned down. He shouted at his assailant and struggled with all his might to get out from the much stronger grasp. He wasn't able too. He considered kicking with his feet but his legs were trapped under the blankets. His assailant suddenly pinned Near's wrists to the bed above his head with one hand. Near wondered what he was going to do with the other free hand when he felt a sharp pinch in his neck, followed by a warm sensation coursing throughout his body. He futile thrashing was quelled as he surrendered his consciousness to the powerful drug flowing through his bloodstream, while his assailant lifted his limp body from the bed and stole him away into the night.

A/N: I'm surprised how many people thought Matt was the one who planted the DN. That thought never crossed my mind but I guess it definitely could see that way. Sorry to end this one on another cliffhanger, but it's just too much fun not to :). So how was this chapter? Good/bad/indifferent? Please review and let me know!