Author's Note: ^_^ It makes me so happy to see that so many people are reading my story. That's so awesome. I hope you all are enjoying it. I sure would love to hear what you think about it :) It's my first FanFic so any feedback I could get would be really helpful.

Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note, or anything remotely associated with it.

Spoiler Alert: This chapter contains material to episode 31.

Mello and I boarded a plane to head back to Los Angeles; we'd make a connection there and then head back to my place in Santa Barbra. Somehow it had magically become our new head quarters without my permission.

On the plane I decided to make a bold move. If things kept going the way they had been, none of us was going to live much longer. I decided I was going to make the most of my life while I still had the chance. In my seat I slowly started to lean to the side; I got closer and closer to Mello until finally I closed the distance and my head was rested on his shoulder. To my most extreme surprise, Mello didn't even freeze up at my touch. He was allowing the contact, and in my astonished state I half wondered if Mello wasn't thinking the same thing I was; if he wasn't trying to come to terms with the end himself.

I was even more shocked – assuming that was even possible – a moment later when Mello threaded his arm around my shoulder, allowing me even more room to snuggle into his chest. I took that opportunity and was all but sitting on top of him when we finished our shuffling. With my head resting comfortably against his chest I was able to take in his scent; he smelled of chocolate. The aroma left me with a flashback to our first kiss, and I wished ever so desperately that I could be content with my current position and my wonderful memory.

But that just wasn't the case. I wasn't able to focus on the close proximity of Mello, or his scent or the memory of our kiss. My thoughts continuously drifted back to Kira, the case, and all the lives at stake. All the lives of the people I loved that were at stake. Matt, Mello and Neat were all I had left in the world. I had never been really close to anyone else at Wammy's; and L and Watari were already gone.

I also found my thoughts returning to how Wammy's was back in the day. Thing's that shouldn't have even mattered in the current situation we were in. Things like my first day, my almost adoption, the day I lost my eyesight.

"I... heh, I still remember the first day I came to Wammy's House," I started quietly. "Watari had come to pick Near and me up at our house after our parents died; he drove us to the orphanage. I remember it was raining that day, because I was watching the rain through the car window, and I could barely make out the sign on the front of Wammy's House.

The orphanage looked more like a mansion to me at the time. It was so beautiful inside. Watari lead us in, and I remember Roger met us at the front door with L. They were all talking about something, but I was too nervous to pay attention. My parents had just died, and it was a new home in a new city; new people and a new school. Near didn't seem like he had a problem with it. I always hated how he never seemed to care about anything. I mean, neither of us cried, not ever; not even when out parents died, but that didn't mean I didn't have feelings, it just means I didn't cry. Near always seemed like he didn't have feelings for anything though. Not only didn't he cry ever, but I don't think I ever saw many expressions on his face period.

I remember I just wanted to hide, to disappear, but at the same time I was still so curious about what was going on. And then, and then I saw you Mello," I paused and waited for a reaction, but got none so I continued. "You and Matt, you were both standing at the top of the stairs. And then I caught your eyes, and I don't know, there was just something about you in that moment," I hung my head, but kept talking. "I remember I started to blush, and was so embarrassed," I was starting to blush now too, and I brought my hand up to my face to try and hide it. "But then, then you just left, and I didn't understand." Recalling this memory was so turbulent for me; happy and sad at the same time. "L came over then and...

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. We are now..." the captain's voice came over the speaker system. We were getting ready to land in Los Angeles. It seemed like the plane ride had ended in no time.

We landed and grabbed our luggage. As we were making our way through the airport we passed a crowd of people standing around staring at a TV screen. At first I mistook it for a read-out on the flights that were going in and out, but it wasn't long before I discovered what it really was.

Sakura TV was doing a live broadcast, a live broadcast from a chopper, a chopper that was hovering right outside the building Mello and I had just left.

"Oh my gosh! Mello Look!" I jammed my finger at the television screen. "Oh no, Near!" I breathed.

"...have finally pinpointed the hideout of the evil organization bent on trying to catch our beloved god Kira! We now have the building completely surrounded," Demegawa was yelling over the chopper noise into a microphone.

"What's going on?" Mello asked, coming up behind me carrying his suitcase; taking a bite of his chocolate and watching the TV beside me. I just pointed again.

"Fellow Kira supporters, I urge you, do not rush the building all at once! The traitors may attempt to blend in with the crowd to escape. I am Kira's loyal servant and spokesman! You must listen to me!" came the voice from the TV.

"Mello! What're we going to do!" I begged. He just continued to watch emotionlessly, eating his chocolate bite by bite. Mello was absolutely infuriating me! I Knew he hated Near, but seriously, how could he act so callous?

"There isn't anything we can do. It's not like you can go down there and make a difference. You'd be mauled by the crowd... assuming you could even get there in time."

"Mello! We have to do something!"

"Why! Why on earth should I do anything to help Near?"

"Damnit Mello! I know you hate him, and I know Near's crazy. I know he's never been much of a brother to me, but he IS still my brother!" I love him! I care about him! He's my family! Near is one of the three remaining people in the world who mean something to me!

All this time I'd been so worried about Mello, Matt and I. All this time I'd just figured Near was untouchable. Apparently I was wrong.

"Look Jewel, I know you're worried, but be realistic about this. There isn't anything you can do! Near's smart, he'll figure something out." As much as Mello may've been trying to make me feel better, he couldn't hide the bitterness that came out with the last part of what he said.

I looked down in defeat, and was truly surprised when I felt Mello's arm around my shoulder.

"...They'll be a sacrifice to Kira." I shuddered violently when I heard this. Smashing glass and yelling flooded the speakers, and it took everything I had to keep from whimpering.

I brought my hands up to my face to I could cry into them. Mello pulled me into a warm embrace, "It's going to be okay Jewel. Near is going to get out of there."

More shouts and breaking glass could be heard on the TV. "Mello, I'm so scared! I can't lose him! I can't lose Near too! I already lost L, and Watari is gone too! I can't lose another member of my family! I just can't!" I wailed into Mello's chest. "O-once they get in it's going to be over! A-and a-and its a live broadcast! Kira's probably watching! Once he sees Near..."

"Kira can't kill without a name too remember, you're probably the only one who knows Near's real name." I know he was only trying to cheer me up, he knew about the Kira who could kill with only a face. Oh God, Near was going to... "Hey look!" Mello broke into my depressing thoughts. I turned my head to the screen without leaving Mello's grasp.

It was money. There were thousands of bills falling from the sky. I tilted my head to the side in confusion; what was Near up to? Demegawa wasn't even paying attention to the building anymore; he was having the chopper hover from side to side so that he could grab all the money. One of the cameras focused in on the ground as a dozen police officers in riot gear exited the building. There was no Near.

Somehow, they'd made it.

I turned back to Mello and melded myself into him as my torrent of tears turned into a weak trickle. "That. Was. NOT. Cool."

Somehow we'd made it back to my apartment in my frazzled state. The first thing that happened when we opened the door, was Matt coming to give me an extra large bear hug. I guess he'd been watching the news as well. Matt was more sensitive when it came to issues involving Near.

"Well enough of that," Matt said, releasing me after a moment. "I've got to make a supply run."

"Supply run? Matt it's after midnight," I said, noting the time on the clock.

"He's out of cigarettes," Mello cut in nonchalantly; picking up and turning over in his hands an empty pack of cigarettes that had been lying on the counter.

"Matt, seriously?" I asked, turning my attention from the empty pack to my empty headed friend.

"I'm just going to head down to that corner store on the... corner," he chuckled at his little pun as he slid on his coat. "I'll be right back," he smiled and closed the door behind him.

Mello sighed, "Okay, so what's our next move?"

"Next move!" I asked incredulous. Couldn't we even get some sleep first? But when Mello was as determined as he was now, he rarely ever slept.

"Will you stop starring at me?" I hadn't even realised that I had been.

"It's just, I remember what used to happen back at Wammy's when you'd push yourself this hard," I waited for some kind of response, but got none. "You'd be up so many nights in a row... and then end falling asleep in classes the next day." I said factually. Mello slipped a chocolate bar off the table and took a bite.

"Heh, I remember what happened after that too?"

"Hmm? What do you mean, 'what happened after that'?"

"What would happen after I fell asleep. Remember that one day? You spent all night helping me study for my classes. We went to history the next morning, and wouldn't you know it I fell asleep in class. Well the teacher started giving me hell."

"Yeah so?"

"Do you remember what she said?"

"No?" Where was Mello going with this? It seemed like the teachers were always giving him a hard time. What was so special about this one in particular?

"She told me she wasn't surprised that I was always second, on account of how I was always falling asleep in class. Well if you didn't give her hell for that one, she brought it up and it totally set you off. You stood up right there, went up to the teacher, and said..."

"Yeah, I remember now, 'How dare you!'" I mimicked my old self, "'You have no idea how hard Mello's worked for this class!'"

"And then you have the nerve to slap her too."

"She had the nerve to give me detention for the month," I chuckled wryly. "I suppose... I suppose it just bothered me to hear that. I mean, I knew how hard you were always working, how badly you wanted to succeed, the dedication you showed. It just... it was like she was down playing that, and it SO wasn't right of her to do that! I'd do it again you know, in a heartbeat. That detention was well worth the look on her face, and she never did say anything when you'd fall asleep after that ha-ha."

"I never did thank you for that," What? Talk about catching me off guard. There wasn't a time in my life where I could recall Mello thanking anybody for anything.

"Ha, you were probably too embarrassed to be seen anywhere near me after that," I made the best innocent face I could come up with, and waved off his comment. I really hope he didn't continue on this, it was making me uncomfortable.

"No I mean it. I really appreciate that you did that for me." I couldn't look at him; I didn't want to risk seeing the expression on his face, what would I see there? And what would he see if he saw me? Blushing! That's what he would see. How embarrassing.

"Ha, so you could sleep in class undisturbed?"

"Are you trying to downplay my gratitude? You have no idea how hard I had to work to make it sincere," he teased, and we laughed together.

And then, as suddenly as our laughter started, it stopped. I'd taken a seat on the loveseat, and Mello, Mello had finally come to sit beside me. Yes, because this wouldn't make me blush a hundred times harder.

Out of nowhere he leaned forward and his lips brushed gently against mine.

I gasped and my breath hitched in my throat. Instantly there was a rush of white hot adrenaline coursing through my veins and little bolts of lightning flitting around in my brain. I wondered if I'd ever get used to the sensation of him kissing me. I didn't know the answer to that, but I did know that I never wanted to.

Our lips were still locked when Matt let himself into my apartment.

"Whoa! Am I interrupting something?" Matt asked playfully, a knowing smile plastered on his face. He winked at us as we broke apart. "Yeeeah, way to be buddy." Matt came over and threw an arm around each of us from the back of the loveseat. "Group hug!" he hollered and fell over the back of the seat into our laps.

"Matt! Get off!" Mello barked. I couldn't stifle my laughter any longer, and the room erupted in a frenzy of merriment. Once I started Matt let lose as well, and soon even the pokerfaced Mello couldn't help but laugh.

For once in who knows how long we were just us. We were three teenaged kids, with teenage problems and teenage angst. We were three teenagers who were goofing off and having fun. We were three teenaged kids with teenage fun and teenage love. For once we didn't have to be the overly intelligent Wammy's kids or the, overly cautious Kira investigators. For once, we were just us.

Author's Note: Okay, I know my timeline is a bit off again in this one. At least according to this one site I'm getting my information from. Whether or not the site is correct is a different story, but whatever. I hope you guys will just accept it. And apparently Matt isn't even supposed to be in the story yet, but I doubt anybody has a real problem with it anyway :)

Alright, I've got questions for you guys today :D What do you like to listen to; your favourite bands, your favourite songs?