A/N: Well, after leaving you on a slight cliffhanger last time, I'm back! XD Unfortunately, this chapter is sad...well, it made me sad writing it anyway. I even teared up yet again at one point. You'll see what I mean.

Warning: There's a little more cursing than usual in this chapter due to Mello's potty mouth. XP Just thought I'd put that out there.

Disclaimer: I only own V, and that's it.

Chapter 16: Conflict

It merely must have been the ashy cigarette fumes that impelled Matt to say his borderline bitter words, for he was friendly the next morning. When I asked him if what he said yesterday implied anger, he answered, "You're worrying too much, V. Sometimes, I just say crap that doesn't make sense. I'm guessing Mello's bad vibes are contagious—trust me, I'm normal again. Weird me is bye-bye."

"OK, I can only hope that that's true," I replied with a semi-concerned smile.

On that note, we coincided splendidly together in the room we shared, talking and exchanging sarcastic jokes. It was like childhood days revisited with him.

Ruefully, I could hardly say the same for Mello, who recently possessed a deranged glint in his eyes that increased every day. He adored the life of a mob leader, ordering his men about as though inferior to him. Incessantly, he ranted about obtaining a Death Note and bringing Kira to his death. Once, I dared to question his authority, which displeased him beyond all reason.

We were alone in the main room, the gangsters long since departing to gain money by robbing, harassing rival gangs, drug dealing, etc. I had asked if I could have a word with him, to which he bestowed a restless stare to me and paced back and forth.

"What do you want?" Mello asked in an extremely irked tone. "What is it that's so important instead of focusing on our goal?"

Obviously, approaching him had already irked him, which seemed all too simple to do. I knew that adding a question to that would annoy him further. But, he had to hear this, especially from a rational mind. Judging from what I witnessed, Mello had lost all sensibility—that is, what little he possessed to begin with.

Suppressing a weary sigh, I said placidly, "If we are to bring Kira to justice, we need to find judicial evidence first. Otherwise, if we take your rash ideas and utilize them, we could very well end up in prison...or dead."

"Pfft, you're starting to sound like Near!" he scoffed with a condescending snort.

I figured he would react that way, but I was merely getting started.

Resolving to elaborate on my theory for Kira/Light's demise, I ignored his mockery at my words as I replied, "If you have possession of the Death Note, Mello, you will be no better than the man who is Kira. I have seen for myself the accursed madness it causes. No, in my opinion, we use Kira's Death Note as evidence in court. That way, Kira eventually dies by the electric chair or lethal injection or whatever. And, best of all, it won't take much hassle."

The blond chocoholic looked at me like I was stricken with insanity. As be hit off a piece of his chocolate, his blue eyes distorted into that far too common glare. To say the least, he loathed the fact that I dared to defy him.

His pacing transformed into feverish strides, the biting and swallowing of chocolate becoming more and more persistent with each second. And, I realized, he didn't care. He didn't care regarding heeding everybody's suggestions. Immersing himself in his own beliefs and ideas, he would shut out everybody in the world if necessary. For, regretfully, I knew Mello for such extensive years that that kind of behavior on his part was almost predictable. In the years since I left Wammy's House, it actually worsened with age.

As I placidly waited for a response, I noticed that those luminous orbs bulged out of pure fury.

"Are you stupid?!? Why would we trust the government? That's something Near would definitely do! Do you want to avenge your brother's death?!?"

It seemed lately that Mello preferred to bombard me with questions. But, that last one contained particular significance; of course I yearned to avenge L's death. When I had resided in my apartment, I even tried communicating with the Japanese police via e-mail. I was aiming for utilizing a similar method that L had tolerated. However, when the Japanese police force saw my single letter V, they immediately dismissed me as an imitator of my brother. It was degrading, and it resulted with me receiving no cases or promotions. So, inevitably, I couldn't bring Light to justice from the privacy of my apartment. I became frustrated with myself.

For Mello to accuse me as lacking in motivation to avenge my brother's death infuriated me as I glared back. I had tried everything I could without getting killed; every attempt had failed. Why would I even resort to settling on Mello's reckless ideas? They were so unreasonable that they would surely result in death. And I would never allow him or Matt to die on that account—they were the only tow important people I had left.

"Don't bring L into this," I hissed, seething with exasperation toward the blond. "I know for certain that he would disagree with your plans, too."

His ever expressive eyes dilated incredulously. "Sh—shut up!"

Of course, since I stated a valid opinion, Mello could only utter an immature retort.

With a glance that contained a mixture of exasperation, sorrow, and fury directed at him, I strode briskly from the room to my quarters. At that moment, a sense of dread washed over me. It was a kind of dread that you receive when you know something terrible will occur. It might not happen that day or the next, but you know it's coming. And, possessing this apprehension for the future, I became unfortunately frightened. Luckily, Matt hardly detected this horror when I sullenly closed the door behind me.

"There's nothing to do here," he complained in a bored tone. "I just beat this Mario game for the eighteenth time. What am I going to do, V?"

I couldn't help but smile as I pointed to his obsolete Sony Playstation console that sat nearby.

"For starters, you could hook that up, and we can play a two-player game in which you let me win...again," I replied cheekily, even adding an innocent grin.

Matt laughed breezily at that comment. "Nice try! I don't even have a TV here."

"Then why'd you bring your console?"

For some reason, this compelled him to laugh even harder. "I care about it too much."

Since his mirth seemingly contained a contagious virus, I joined in with my feminine giggling. Honestly, though, I couldn't really pinpoint that exact reason why we laughed.

I guess we enjoyed each other's company, like we always had.

As much as I hate to divulge it now, the omniscient sense that loomed over my head was there for a reason. A week later, Mello resolved to take matters into his own hands. For one thing, he was losing patience when it came to locating Kira. Apparently, he had spent a year just trying to find the serial killer and failed dismally. For another, Mello craved for a Death Note achingly—in fact, it was a destructive addiction for him, the desire. Constantly, he kept rejecting his own plots to obtain it while gobbling his chocolate. But, after all these months, he finally materialized (in his own opinion) the perfect plan.

"We're kidnapping Soichiro Yagami's daughter next," I heard him declare during my eavesdropping. Soon after, I felt my heart freeze before sinking like the Titanic.

Yagami-san already had suffered through accusations that his son caused countless deaths in Japan. To discover that Mafia members had kidnapped his daughter Sayu would be another tragic blow for him. Frustrated anger coursed through me then that Mello would enact this to lure Light...or, more probably, force Yagami-san to give him the Death Note. It was a dirty tactic that practically sickened me to my stomach. Would my friend even follow through on his vow? I fervently prayed not.

Regretfully, fate rebelled against my wishes when Mello requested that his men kidnap Sayu and take her to the hideout the next night. They, of course, followed orders.

The next command issued forth from my blond friend's lips was addressed to me after the Mafia men placed the girl in an isolated room. I had been talking to Matt regarding video games that I had seen in Japan before Mello himself entered.

"Hey, I've finally thought up something useful for you to do," he informed me, a demented smirk playing at his lips, "and it's not arguing with me."

"Interesting," I responded coldly, still miffed from the previous week's debate. "What, pray tell, will be my task?"

His teal eyes glinted even more disturbingly than usual, his sneer widening. "You're going to keep an eye on the Yagami girl. You know, to make sure she doesn't do anything stupid."

I reluctantly complied with this demand, for I was hardly in the mood for bestowing rage to him again. Mello in an ill temper was very tiresome indeed. But, when I followed him to the room, where two other gangsters stood on sentry, I stifled a gasp.

As Mello walked off as though nothing important was in this room, I took in the appearance of this poor girl. A gag stuffed her mouth, her hands and feet tied rather tightly to prevent her from escaping this nightmarish place. Why would they, these cruel followers of a sadistic young man I swore I didn't know, torture a girl close to my age? I nearly reeled from the harsh senselessness of it all. Sayu Yagami had never known of her brother's tyranny, for she was blissfully unaware when wire taps had been in the household during the case.

So, here we were: a sister of a dead yet most adored detective staring blankly at a sister of the detective's rival who still lived to kill. Yet, I sensed no tension that rivals adapt between us. As far as I was concerned, we were two victims caught up in this dangerous game that was the Kira situation, one of which that changed our world. If we had truly known each other, I could have befriended this girl...if we were under different circumstances at a different place and at a different time. But, no, we had to suffer because of what had gone on with our brothers. And, the worst, most tragic part of it all was that her brother killed mine without her awareness. She had previously lived the life of a normal teenage girl.

I gulped down a lump that seemed to have clotted itself within my throat as we stared at each other. Thinking about all this made me want to cry—everything through my eyes looked unjust, unfair, and a world I actually felt thankful that L never got to see in these recent times. He would have despised it as much, if not more so, as I did. I pitied this girl eyeing me desperately, begging me to release her from the atrocity that she found herself caught in, like a fish in a net.

For some reason I can't explain, even to this day, I softly told her, "It's a shame that we meet under these circumstances. I wouldn't wish this on anybody, especially you. We could have been friends, but we can't. For, you know not of my name, and I barely know yours."

Most definitely, I was cryptic in speaking this, though I saw tears glow in Sayu Yagami's doe-like brown eyes.

At that moment, I forgot about my duty and headed for the open doorway, longing to escape seeing this miserable girl suffer. It would be inhuman of me if I remained here anyway.

"Hey, where you going?" one of the irked gangsters asked.

"To talk to Mello," I informed him stonily. "I need time to right now."

I must have satisfied him, for he didn't elaborate on his question. Since I was slightly more important to their boss than them, they would never dare to hurt me. In this respect, they were like those irritating hoodlums that bothered me years ago at Wammy's.

When I found Mello, he was talking on the phone with Yagami-san, negotiating with him on terms regarding a certain exchange: the former chief's daughter Sayu for the despicable Death Note. That was the last straw. I would give my (former?) best friend such a lecture that he might consider regretting his increasingly idiotic actions. Once he hung up his cellphone, I bravely approached him.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he questioned testily. "You're supposed to watch that little Yagami b—"

"Save your breath until we're in my room," I countered, my tone at its iciest.

We ascended the shoddy stairs rather rapidly, since both of us basked in our fury. The tension between us was at an all-time high, and I felt relieved to observe that Matt had actually wandered off somewhere. I didn't wish for him to witness our impending argument. After stealthily closing the door behind me, I merely stared at Mello for a couple minutes to maybe let this invisible heat simmer. However, his brows knitted together with restlessness, so I had no choice but to start our conversation.

"Mello," I coolly addressed him, "you have gone too far this time. You decided to resort to kidnapping a girl who's confused beyond repair in order to get what you want. Is it worth it?"

"How would you know? It's not like you've witnessed its true power!"

"Oh, but I have. For, it was its power that killed my brother."

This last fact silenced Mello, for he gaped at this news. Of course, he knew that L died yet had remained unaware of the cause of death until now. I thought that this sign of bewilderment was a breakthrough. Perhaps he would listen to reason.

Unluckily, he deemed his sly concoctions that were plans to be righteous, thinking them the only ways to reach his goals. This affected his ability to think clearly, and it also severely detracted from his genius.

"That might be true, but I'm going to use the Death Note for certain purposes that could help us! I'm nothing like Kira!" he shouted, angrily biting off a piece of his chocolate.

"You mean your purposes. Listen, Mello, when I say that the Death Note brings nothing but madness to its owner, I'm perfectly serious. You're going to become addicted to its destructive power like you're addicted to your chocolate. And soon, you won't be able to stop it. You'll be..."

I trailed off when I sensed a pang of depression stab through my heart, aware that Mello would order me to say the rest. My sharp tongue was evading my wishes again.

Sure enough, he growled barbarically, "Finish that sentence. Come on!"

Heaving a breath as though it were my last, I murmured in a subdued fashion, "You'll be just like Kira."

Irrepressible quietness filed the room, which alleviated me in the hopes that my friend would calm down. He had needed to hear this for so long.

But, of course, when Mello heard something he expected yet loathed to hear, he blocked it out using immaturity. Sadly, this was one of those times.

He had looked at me so calmly with glazed blue eyes, as though pondering over this painful, undeniable fact. I had assumed he realized the error of his ways at last. That is, before he seemed to rely on what little self-control he possessed to resist lunging at me; I knew the insane yelling would arrive approximately thirty seconds previous.

"Shut the hell up!!!" he nearly screamed (or male equivalent). "You think you know so much, because you're a damn Lawliet! It didn't get your brother anywhere, because guess what, V?!? He's dead! And you didn't do a d—!"

Before he could shout any more harsh words, I placed all my fingers on one hand to his lips to halt them from moving. And, honestly, my fingers had almost formed into a fist, but I dared not punch him. As much as I abhorred his attitude, I could never physically hurt him. However, I wouldn't let him off that easily.

"I told you not to bring my brother up," I uttered each word deliberately in the most lethal whisper I had ever used. "It is irreverent to the utmost degree. Furthermore, you insult him despite wanting so desperately to carry his legacy. Is it because of your rivalry with Near?"

Without speaking anything aloud, Mello nodded.

I continued my frigid lecture. "Well, I'll let you in on a little secret, Mello. I was going to carry this to my grave, but I feel now would be appropriate. You were never to be the successor...at least not the immediate one. My so-called friend, you will always be number two. Get over it."

Often, when fierce wrath grips our hearts, we say things we do not mean. When I behaved so icily to Mello, I barely recognized my own voice. For once in my life, I was cruel...to one of the most important people in my life! Oh, how I would regret that later.

"Th—that's not true," he whispered before raising his voice. "You're lying!"

I could have stopped the unkindness right there, for I swore that Mello headed for an emotional breakdown. It had been his life's work to conquer Near, to be number one. And to hear me divulge what L informed me ten years ago—it weighed down upon him. But, no, I insisted on resuming. Call me all the nasty names in the world.

"It is, and do you know why it is indeed true? Ten years ago, my brother told me himself."

That destroyed him, utterly desecrated his entire soul. I swore that he even longed to cry, for what I told him was just terrible in every sense of the word. After hearing this, Mello let out the most heart-wrenching yet frustrated roar ever in his life before threatening to strangle me. His hands aimed right for my throat.

"You're gonna regret what you just said, Lawliet!"

Before Mello executed his incensed action, Matt stepped into the room. Once he did so, he actually dropped his handheld and didn't bother to pick it up. I knew that since this normally never before seen action occurred, things had become terribly serious.

"What's...going on?" Matt questioned, first turning his gaze to a flustered Mello then to wide-eyed me.

"I'm out of here," Mello muttered gruffly under his breath, more to himself than either of the two of us, though he added to his male best friend, "Ask her what's been going on. She started it."

As immature as that statement sounded, it resonated some truth; this fight had been my fault.

My eyes drifted miserably to Matt, who still stood as though he had been transformed into a statue. I studied his green eyes behind his goggles pointedly, searching for what emotions he might feel at this moment. But, there was absolutely nothing I could determine.

He strode towards me before stopping just mere centimeters from where I stood. "What's with you, V? You're always arguing with Mello now—I even heard you two argue."

My mouth fell open before struggling to close. "What—? How—?"

"I was under the stairs, and I heard every word."

Mello, who had remained here listening (for he did have a curious streak), merely snorted.

"Matt, you really need to stop eavesdropping. As for you"—and here, he glared at me as though he wished to murder me—"you need to learn to shut up once in a while. That mouth of yours is going to get you into serious trouble, believe me."

With these cranky remarks, he slammed the door back closed to the point that it finally fell off its hinges. I, in the mean time, seemingly felt nothing. Just a numbness that seeped into my soul, preventing me from emoting; I didn't feel like myself at all, frankly.

Staying inside this character I hardly recognized, I harrumphed out of disdain. "Good riddance. He was getting annoying, a trifle on my nerves, don't you think?"

Currently, I did detect something in Matt's eyes that I had never seen before: anger.

What was such a great deal that he would lean that way?

"No, I don't think that. Seriously, V, what is wrong with you?"

"What's wrong with me?" I stated his question back to him incredulously. "I should ask what's wrong with Mello. He went too far this time, Matt. He kidnapped an innocent girl. That is not the so-called justice my brother would have wanted. And you—"

I was shocked when both of his hands clamped down on my shoulders. "Listen for one second, will you? Look, loyalty is a big thing with me. You know that. So, why did you ditch us for the case?!?"

He asked that damnable question again, and he had raised his voice. I felt unnerved, but I wasn't going to show it now. I would have rather let my heart freeze.

His attitude toward life had always consisted of facing the world in an upbeat, casual demeanor. However, Matt looked tense, uncharacteristically so, and he was suddenly proving he possessed a hidden fiery redheaded temper.

"I never planned on ditching you two for the case. And you know that. Are you honestly going to take Mello's word over mine?"

Turning away from me, appearing imposing for once with his cigarette, he seemed to contemplate over my words. What he said next bother shocked and incensed me.

"If he's telling the truth, then yes, I would."

Matt had never proved himself somber until this moment, when I secretly fretted over my world—our world—falling apart. I realized that the Kira strain nearly rendered our trio of friendship shattered. Unfortunately, I decided to selfishly focus on my pride.

"How dare you, Mail Jeevas? How dare you say such a thing? Mello is clearly near his breaking point sanity-wise. He lied to you. He's trying to mess with your head."

"You're pushing him to his breaking point!" Matt shouted out of exasperation. "I heard that damn argument and—you know what? Just get out!"

If my heart was constructed entirely out of glass, I would have died. Feeling almost dead inside, I cast my eyes downward and spoke to him in a highly frozen manner.

"Fine, I know when I'm no longer wanted. Goodbye, Matt...forever."

And, trying not to betray my true emotions, I strode past him and through the doorway.

A/N: Ugh, the end of this chapter was just painful for me! And I myself couldn't believe half the mean stuff V said. My mouth literally dropped when I realized what I wrote. But, the truth is, our heroine is rather torn up at the moment, but since she has pride problems...she prefers to pretend being cold. And Matt yelling at her and Mello yelling at her...oh man. Not a happy chapter, especially since I had "Paperthin Hymn" by Anberlin stuck in my head when typing this yesterday.

It's far from over, though! Tomorrow, something will happen that just might make you guys happy. XD Sunshine is around the corner!