Thunder

by Hidden in Shadow's Safety

OBVIOUSLY AU. After unwilling going to his rival for help, Mello finds out something new about the albino. Near doesn't want to talk about it though. I mean, who wants to talk about their greatest fear? Rated for swearing. Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note, or the characters. I only own the plot. Also, seeing as this is AU, expect some OOCness. Don't like? Don't read.

2. Part Two

THUNDER

Part 2/2

The next morning, when Near finally woke up, memories of the previous night returned.

Curious about the blonde's actions, he sat up and managed to drag himself out of bed. Slowly, he walked out of the bedroom to see Mello passed out on the couch, something -the morning news, apparently- still playing on the TV.

"Mello?" Near asked softly. The blonde stirred slightly, groaning as he woke up.

"Morning, Sheep," Mello said tiredly. "How's you sleep last night?"

"Well enough," Near shrugged. "Why did Mello do what he did last night?" He decided it would be better to ask now; people tended to be more open when they were tired.

"I dunno," Mello yawned. "I just felt sorry for ya, I guess. I used to be afraid of thunderstorms too; up until I was-" he paused to think "-about five, maybe six."

Near blinked as the new information sunk in. 'Apparently Mello can feel fear,' the albino thought.

With a few words to excuse himself, as well as asking the blonde got get out of his room, Near walked down to the investigation room; he wasn't letting the previous night's events hold him back.

As he sat down in his usual spot, the unwanted flashback popped into Near's head.

"I told you we should have stayed home!" the woman in the passenger's seat exclaimed as another bolt of lightning illuminated the sky.

"Stop whining about it, Charlotte," the man behind the wheel replied. "Just you wait, we'll get home perfectly fine."

"Look, just be careful, and keep your eyes on the road, John."

From the back seat, the five year old boy watched his parents argue. It was a common thing; he wasn't bothered by it. However, he agreed with his mother. It was a bad idea to leave the house in that storm.

The car's tires hit a large slippery patch on the road, causing it to loose it's traction. The vehicle swerved off the road, into a nearby tree.

Before everything went black, the boy heard a worried cry of "Nate!" leave the woman's mouth.

Less than a week later, the boy was the new kid at Wammy's House. Instead of "Nate River," he went by "Near."

"Near is a good name," the man said. "You will always be near when someone is saved."

Shaking his head slightly, Near promised himself that he would get over his fear of thunderstorms and move on.

He couldn't let the past hold him back.

How would he be able to save anyone when he was too absorbed in his memories?

A.N. Yes, I so quoted L. I don't regret it all. I swear, if anything, that's the only part I like about the ending. Well, see you whenever I get the next chapter of All You Have posted!