Ambulance

Facing You Again

Now I lay here owing my life to a stranger

And I realize that empty words are not enough

I'm left here with the question of just

What have I to show except the promises I never kept?

- Thrice

When Mello finally opened his eyes, the first thing he noticed was the soft bed that he was lying on and the thick blanket that was covering his body. He slowly came to a realization that he had been hospitalized. His first inquiry, however, was, Why? Then he remembered his car, the ride, the crush, the lights, the white figure… Those people that had taken him away from that person must have been the paramedics. He did not know how bad his injuries must have been but he could still feel some pain around his body and his arms and legs were heavy. He tried to move his upper torso and groaned at the soreness in his muscles, shutting his eyes before letting out a long sigh.

"You're alive," a familiar voice said.

Mello turned toward the person who spoke, his eyes nearly widened in surprise.

Near.

His rival was sitting on a stool beside his hospital bed watching him with that unchanging blank expression.

"Near," Mello finally said. The oxygen mask on his face made speaking feel strange. His mouth felt dry and his voice sounded horse, but he could speak again. "What… what are you doing here?"

"You crashed into Gevanni's car last night," Near said flatly. "Do you remember anything?"

Mello shook his head slowly to avoid any more abrupt discomfort.

"Not much," he grumbled.

"I didn't think you would," Near replied. "You were almost completely unconscious when Gevanni got you out of that car."

Mello gazed at Near's face closely and noticed the white bandages that were plastered on his forehead and cheek. His eyes moved down towards the other boy's arms and found the light of the afternoon sun glowing on more bandages neatly wrapped around them. Even though he had received most of the damage from the crash, it appeared that Near had been injured too. He shifted uncomfortably in his bed and tore his eyes away from the white-haired boy. Knowing the fact that those injuries had been because of his carelessness made him uneasy somehow.

"Mello," Near said.

The blond did not turn towards him. He just continued to stare at the white ceiling of the hospital room.

"What?" Mello asked.

"You didn't die," Near said.

Mello raised an eyebrow. He still did not turned towards the other boy. "Would you have liked me to die?"

"No," Near said. "I didn't mean that."

No…? Mello thought. His rival's words shocked him. Had they not always been pitted bitterly against each other? The two of them stopped talking. The monitor was still beeping in tune with the beats of Mello's heart. It offered a sort of quiet noise to ease the tense silence between them. Mello waited, wondering if Near had anything else to say. A few more moments passed and neither of them said a word. Mello cleared his throat.

"Matt's dead," he said suddenly. It was better than not saying anything. Near grew up with him too, he did have the right to know.

"I know," Near answered, unsurprised.

Mello's eyes widened a little. "How?"

"Even information from the mafia sometimes leaks," Near said coolly.

"It was my fault," Mello continued. He couldn't seem to stop himself, as if the words were just flowing from his lips on their own. He had tried to release his anger and bury his regrets before but that didn't work out as he wanted. Nothing seemed to be going as he wanted.

"Because of Kira," the blond murmured. "Because I wanted to beat you, I killed him."

Near didn't answer him. He only sat still and listened.

"He didn't deserve to die the way that he did." Mello started to feel a lump forming in his throat. "He had nothing to do with the chase—it was between me and you. And yet… I dragged him into that shithole."

"If you keep blaming yourself," Near finally said. "You're not going to accomplish anything. Matt isn't going to come back. Living in your own regrets is pathetic."

"You always piss me off," Mello growled. "With the way you talk."

"Sorry, I'm not the one living in the past because the future holds nothing."

Mello's hands balled into fists, even through the pain, he endured it. Hot anger was flooding his blood.

"Am I right, Mello?" Near asked, as if he was trying to push Mello's limits.

Mello was silent, leaving Near to continue.

"As of right now, you're a wanted criminal not only here in Japan but also in the United States. As for your fellow mafia members, they're all gone without a trace. So what are you going to do now?"

Again, there was only silence while a few short moments passed.

"I'm starting to wonder," Mello finally said. "If that crash should have killed me."

Near gave a short sigh. "Your death isn't going to help anyone. L is gone. Matt is gone. I don't think Wammy's needs to lose another—especially their second ranked."

Mello couldn't suppress a low growl at the last comment. It was quite unnecessary.

"Mello," Near said, softly. "Come back to Wammy's House."

"What?" the blond hissed. "Go back…tch. I doubt that Roger will even let me through the gates let alone permit me back into the house."

Near shrugged. "I'm sure he would and…"

The blond raised his eyebrow and glanced at the boy next to him, waiting for him to finish his lingering statement. He anticipated but heard only the beeps and hums of the hospital machines. He saw Near bite his lower lip slightly, as if trying to hold back his words. Just as he started to turn his face away, the boy spoke again.

"I want you to come back."

There was no immediate answer to Near's confession. The bed sheets rustled as Mello moved himself into a sitting position and removed the oxygen mask from his face. "Shut up, Near."

"I'm not lying," Near returned. "I want you to come back."

"Why?" Mello asked darkly, his eyes narrowing. "We're nothing but bitter rivals."

"That's where you're wrong," Near countered. "I don't see you as my rival. I never did. You don't remember that time when Roger asked us to team up on the Kira case?"

Mello fell silent and watched Near's unchanging, blank composure. For the first time, he noticed the dark rings around the boy's eyes, hinting that he hadn't had much sleep. Had Near actually been sitting next to him the entire night? No… the nurses wouldn't have allowed that. Mello looked harder at the boy he had grown up with. His emotions never showed but his eyes… they were—dare he say it—sincere. Maybe Near was telling the truth, about his desire for Mello to come back.

"You don't hate me," Mello said, more of a statement than a question.

Near shook his head.

"You really want me to come back."

He nodded.

Mello smirked at the white-haired boy. "Prove it."

"You never change," Near sighed. "But if that's all it takes."

Near stepped soundlessly off the stool in order to move closer to Mello's hospital bed. Mello gazed at him cautiously as Near came closer and carefully placed his hands on the blond's shoulders. Mello didn't back away but he nearly jumped in surprise when he felt Near's warm lips make contact with his. It was only for a split second, but Mello grabbed Near by the elbows and shoved him away, trying his best to ignore the pain that shot through his body by the move.

"Okay," Mello murmured, wincing. "You made your point."

The two stared at each other for a short time until Mello realized that his hands were still gripping Near's elbows. He released the boy and sank back into the pillows, allowing Near to resume his place on the stool.

Mello let out a sigh, as if in relief.

The ride to Tokyo International Airport was silent. Gevanni drove as usually, with Near and Mello in the backseat while Rester and Linder had taken a separate car. Mello rested his chin on the palm of his hand while his watched the scenery outside the window. He still had an uncomfortable feeling about going back to Wammy's House but it was too late now to change his mind. And aside from that, as much as it infuriated him, Near was right; he had nowhere to go now. He was nothing more than a wanted criminal, without a friend and without a purpose. Going back to Wammy's might have been inevitable after all.

Near sat in his regular but unusual position next to Mello, fiddling with one of his toy robots in his lap. Mello refrained himself from shaking his head but he smirked to himself at the sight of Near. It was hard to believe he was actually eighteen. The blond turned his attention once again to the traffic on the other side of the window. Many more hours and they would be back in England again.

Suddenly, Mello's reminiscing was interrupted as he felt a something warm touch his hand that had been resting on the leather seat. His eyes widened, realizing that Near had somehow slipped his hand and intertwined it with his. And, judging by the slight redness on the pale boy's cheeks and nose, he had done it sheepishly too. Mello looked straight ahead, but he returned Near's touch with a light grip.

Near didn't hate him, Mello figured. So perhaps he could try not to hate Near either.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Thank you for all the reviews and encouragement! I did decide to write another chapter after all. So Mello wasn't too OOC, right? Haha. I hope not. The ending was a little too fluffy, I think, but I liked it that way. Thanks for reading!